Posted on 08/15/2011 9:49:08 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
TAIPEI (Reuters) - The United States has refused Taiwan's request for 66 new F-16C/D fighter jets that China warned Washington would risk inflaming tensions between the two big powers, Defense News reported, citing a Taiwan defence official.
Taiwan has repeatedly asked Washington to agree to sell the advanced F-16 fighter jets, citing the need to counter the growing military strength of China, which deems the island an breakaway province that must eventually accept reunification, by force if necessary.
Neither Washington nor Taipei has made any formal announcement about the latest call for the fighters, but Defesce News (http://www.defensenews.com) said on Sunday that Taiwan had been told there would be no sale, citing Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense.
"We are so disappointed in the United States," the report quoted an unnamed Taiwan defence official as saying.
"A U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) delegation arrived here last week to deliver the news and offer instead a retrofit package for (Taiwan's) older F-16A/Bs," the journal reported from Taipei.
Any fresh U.S. arms support to Taiwan is likely to raise hackles in Beijing, but the advanced fighter jets have been an especially touchy point for China, which this week will host U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.
The bitter debate in the U.S. Congress over spending and the downgrade of the U.S. sovereign credit rating by Standard & Poor's drew blunt criticism from China's state media, including a commentary that said the U.S. debt woes reflected its military overreach abroad.
Taiwan's Defence Ministry said it could not comment on the report, as it had not heard from the United States.
"However, we want to point out that the Republic of China (Taiwan) does hope the sale of new F-16C/D fighter aircraft will go through. We are in urgent need of the aircraft," Spokesman Luo shou-he
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I think you meant “creditor.”
I hear 'ya, brother..........
(Proffesor Shaky Knees is doing wonders for our A/C industry, too).
Join the club, we've got jackets.
Bunch of p*****s.
Wait a year and resubmit, you’ll get a better response than the bedwetter team gave you, I’m sure of it.
Dear China; I think it was Confucious who once said, “Inna gadda davida, baby.” That roughly translates to “We’re making good money. Why worry about Taiwan?” I hear the Vietnamese have been telling everyone “Ooooh...China....what are they gonna do?....throw an eggroll at us?....we’re so scared.” I wouldn’t take that from those ungrateful bastards. You should go down there and kick their asses.
This is really sad but when the Obo was elected I feared out loud for our linchpin allies like Israel, Taiwan, S. Korea, Colombia, etc.
Yup China builds a new aircraft carrier and we refuse planes to Taiwan.
I guess their money isn’t Green enough, or Obama is in the tank to let them go down the tubes with Israel.My guess is the latter.
Sell them all the F-16’s they can afford.. 100, 200 whatever..
“This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time.” Winston Churchill on England’s sell out of Czechoslovakia to the Germans.
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