Political Quotes

“Mr. President, Taiwan is a steadfast ally in a very turbulent region of the world. On January 29, the State Department approved a $6.4 billion arms package to Taiwan that includes 114 Patriot missiles, 60 Black Hawk helicopters, Harpoon antiship training missiles, and Osprey-class minehunter ships. I am pleased that the administration is taking this important step toward fulfilling the United States' commitment to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, TRA, which requires us to make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services ``as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.'' However, despite the billions of dollars worth of weapons involved in this sale, it represents little more than a half step in providing Taiwan the defensive arms that it needs--and that we are obligated by law to provide it--to protect itself against rapidly increasing air- and sea-based threats from China. What Taiwan has repeatedly requested--and what was not in the arms package--are new fighter aircraft. Since 2006, the Taiwanese have made clear their desire to purchase 66 F-16 C/Ds to augment an air fleet that is bordering on obsolescence. On April 22, 2009, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou reiterated Taiwan's commitment to request the F-16C/Ds from the Obama Administration.…”