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USA likely to upgrade Taiwan jets
THE United States is likely to help Taiwan upgrade its fleet of F-16 A/B fighter jets to counter a growing military threat from China, Taipei-based media said on Wednesday.
The US administration has been evaluating Taiwan's defence needs for the next five to 10 years, considering whether to supply the island with more advanced F-16 C/Ds or help it upgrade the F-16 A/Bs, said the state Central News Agency.
It quoted Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the Washington-based US-Taiwan Business Council, as saying that an upgrade deal could be announced next year while a sale of F-16 C/Ds was likely to take place in President Barack Obama's first term.
'It's only a matter of time,' he was quoted by the United Evening News as saying, referring to the sale of the F-16 C/Ds.
A sale of F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan would be certain to trigger the ire of Beijing, which reacted furiously when the Obama administration in January announced a a 6.4-billion-dollar arms package for the self-governing island.
Taiwan's Liberty Times newspaper also cited unnamed sources as saying that Washington had agreed on a fighter jet upgrade starting next year, and would set up a special task force on the matter. Defence officials were not immediately available for comment on the reports.
US likely to upgrade Taiwan jets
THE United States is likely to help Taiwan upgrade its fleet of F-16 A/B fighter jets to counter a growing military threat from China, Taipei-based media said on Wednesday.
The US administration has been evaluating Taiwan's defence needs for the next five to 10 years, considering whether to supply the island with more advanced F-16 C/Ds or help it upgrade the F-16 A/Bs, said the state Central News Agency.
It quoted Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the Washington-based US-Taiwan Business Council, as saying that an upgrade deal could be announced next year while a sale of F-16 C/Ds was likely to take place in President Barack Obama's first term.
'It's only a matter of time,' he was quoted by the United Evening News as saying, referring to the sale of the F-16 C/Ds.
A sale of F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan would be certain to trigger the ire of Beijing, which reacted furiously when the Obama administration in January announced a a 6.4-billion-dollar arms package for the self-governing island.
Taiwan's Liberty Times newspaper also cited unnamed sources as saying that Washington had agreed on a fighter jet upgrade starting next year, and would set up a special task force on the matter. Defence officials were not immediately available for comment on the reports.
US likely to upgrade Taiwan jets