WASHINGTON ? The committee's top Democrat, California Rep. Howard Berman, said approval of the F-16 bill reflected the bipartisan commitment in the House to maintain Taiwan's security.
But, he added, the administration has shown that it is deeply committed to America's presence in the Asia-Pacific, reflected in the president's announcement this week to deploy more troops in Australia.
That step is widely viewed as a response to China's military buildup over the past decade and assertive territorial claims in seas that are a critical conduit for world trade.
At a separate hearing Thursday, Mark Lippert, nominee for assistant defense secretary for the Asia-Pacific, said the decision only to upgrade Taiwan's F-16s was aimed at getting the best air capability in place as soon as possible.
One of the bills requires the president to sell no fewer than 66 F-16 C/D aircraft to Taiwan. The second specifies various steps to deepen ties such as expediting Taiwan's inclusion on a U.S. visa-waiver program, and exchanges of visits by Cabinet-level officials.
No Cabinet secretary has visited Taiwan since July 2000.
Relations between Taiwan and China have improved in the past three years as trade ties have grown, bringing tensions across the Taiwan Strait to their lowest in six decades. But China retains more than 1,200 missiles arrayed against the island.
jack o lantern jack o lantern dave thomas mean girls houston weather peter king hank williams jr
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.