According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration, which China has been verbally attacking for weeks, is going to sell $8 billion worth of new F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan.
The Post reported, “The State Department submitted the package to Congress for informal review late Thursday, and it is not expected to meet opposition, according to several U.S. officials and other people familiar with the matter. It would be the largest and most significant sale of weaponry to Taiwan in decades.”
Defensenews.com reported, “The State Department advanced the sale late yesterday for informal review and approval by the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to Capitol Hill sources. From there, there is a mandatory 30-calendar-day formal review process before state can issue a letter of offer and acceptance to Taiwan for the sale.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. Jim Risch, (R-ID) stated that the sale is “critical to improving Taiwan’s ability to defend its sovereign airspace, which is under increasing pressure from the People’s Republic of China,” adding, “Taiwan is a steadfast partner of the United States in advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific, and the United States remains firmly committed to supporting its defense.” – READ MORE