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Updated Sunday, May 16, 2010 12:02 am TWN, CNA 136 U.S. congressmen call for sale of F-16 fighter jetsInitiated by Shelley Berkley, Gerald Connolly, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Phil Gingrey, the co-chairmen of the Taiwan Caucus, a congressional group friendly to Taiwan, the letter urged the Obama government to come to a decision on the arms deal as soon as possible. The U.S. government, in its latest US$6.4-billion arms package to Taiwan announced in January, excluded the F-16 C/Ds, which the congressmen said Taiwan desperately needs. Taiwan's air defense capability has been declining because of the aging of its fleet and China's deployment of 1,300 short- and medium-range missiles targeted at Taiwan, the letter said, necessitating the sale. With the F-16 jet's production lines soon to be closed, selling F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan has become more urgent, the letter said. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. is obliged to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons. Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here |
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