Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Last month China’s military predictably slammed Washington’s recent approval to send $2.2 billion in arms to Taiwan, and now there’s an administration push supported by Republicans in the Senate to “move quickly” on a proposed $8 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan at a moment when the next round of US-China trade negotiations hangs in the balance, as The Washington Post reports:
The Trump administration is moving ahead with for an $8 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan despite strong objections from China, a U.S. official and others familiar with the deal said Thursday.
Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz on Friday urged Congress to move quickly with the sale given China “seeks to extend its authoritarian reach” over the region.
Image source: Stars and Stripes
This despite Beijing condemning any and all further weapons sales to Taiwan, which it maintains historic claims over, and taking the further significant step of threatening sanction on any US companies involved in such weapons deals.
The New York Times on Friday also confirmed the proposed F-16 plan, based on State Department statements:
The State Department told Congress Thursday night, right after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had signed a memo approving the sale, officials said. Congress is not expected to object to the move. For weeks, lawmakers from both parties had accused the administration of delaying the sale to avoid jeopardizing trade negotiations or to use it as a bargaining chip.
Texas senator Cruz said it is critical “now more than ever” for Taiwan’s defense capabilities to be significantly increased amid threats from China.
China this summer indicated it stands “ready to go to war” if people “try to split Taiwan from the country” — this after the US approved sales of tanks and Stinger missiles to Taiwan in July. Beijing authorities also said the US and breakaway Taiwan were “playing with fire” due to their growing military ties, which the US by treaty is obligated to honor.
The proposed major addition to Taiwan’s current ageing fleet of F-16s comes after prior Chinese media reports last March said Taipei requested from the US a fleet of 66 Lockheed Martin F-16V fighter jets.
This also corresponds to Taiwan on Thursday unveiling its largest defense spending increase in over a decade, to T$411.3 billion ($13.11 billion.), according to Reuters.
US has a couple hundred F-16s just sitting around not doing a damn thing except costing taxpayers, we already paid for planes, upkeep expenses. We need jobs badly and stock holders need dividends so we taxpayers can pay for newc replacement planes to sit around being maintained. US taxpayers annually pay 10’s of millions to domesticly store over 100 of Israels jets just in case they need them later on in a big war. Bloodshedding is greatest export US has, that and selling oil, gas, and minerals so yes keep the weapon assembly lines rolling. TV has been boring lately so a good war in China waters would break the addiction to soaps, Kardashians and horny women and gay programming.
Give some nukes to Taiwan and that will force the chinks to think twice about putting their filthy hands there..
hahaha, China would probably immediately give the invasion orders if they hear trumpenstein approved of that, before taiwan can get their hands on them
Economic sanctions = Economic terrorism, Interference in a state = State terrorism,
Till this time the US regime have done anything like a son of man. I don’t think so.
i wonder if Taiwan even wants all of these things, maybe its time Russia sells some Su-30, Su-35, MiG-35, MiG-29 to China, lets see how mister trumpenstein will enjoy that :)))))