Posted on 05/20/2008 12:46:01 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
TAIPEI: Taiwan's new President, Ma Ying-jeou, wants to improve ties with the US and do arms deals to bolster the island's military capacity, he said in his inauguration address yesterday.
Washington has long been Taiwan's main arms supplier, despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
"We will strengthen bilateral relations with the US, our foremost security ally and trading partner," Mr Ma said after swearing the oath of office.
"On top of that, we will rationalise our defence budget and acquire the necessary weaponry to form a solid national defence force."
Taiwan asked to buy 66 F-16 C/D fighters from the US last year, but the deal was held up because of US frustration at tensions caused by the pro-independence rhetoric of Taiwan's outgoing government.
In an interview this month, Mr Ma brushed off Chinese concerns over Taiwan's plans to buy the warplanes, a deal worth at least $US3.3 billion ($3.4billion) that is now going through the US Congress.
If approved, it would be one of the biggest single arms deliveries Washington has sold to Taiwan in recent years.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
"It is very difficult for us to see any unification talks even in our lifetimes," Ma said. "Taiwanese people would like to have economic interactions with the mainland, but obviously they don't believe their political system is suitable for Taiwan."
We’re arming both Taiwan and China.
Only America
From what I’ve read on Taiwan, they can’t even afford the arms we’ve already provided.
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