Taiwan President Renews Call for US Sale of Jets

马英九重申希望美国出售F-16 C/D战斗机

TAIPEI - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou renewed a call for the United States to sell new advanced fighter jets on Sept. 30, despite a recent U.S. decision to help the island upgrade existing aircraft instead.

Ma made the appeal for a U.S. sale of sophisticated F-16 C/D fighter jets in a meeting with visiting U.S. Congressman Hank Johnson, a Democrat, the state-run Central News agency reported.

"I'm glad that (the United States) is still seriously considering (selling the F-16 C/Ds)," Ma was quoted as telling Johnson.

The United States said last week it would equip Taiwan's 146 ageing U.S.-made F-16 A/B jets with new technologies, in a $5.85 billion deal which fell short of the island's fervent wish for 66 new and more powerful F-16 C/Ds.

Although the package was less than what Taiwan had hoped for, it triggered an angry response from China, which warned that Sino-U.S. military ties would be hurt as a result.
Taiwan has ruled itself since 1949, but China still considers it part of its territory and has threatened that it wants reunification, even if it means war.

The Chinese military is gaining a decisive edge vis-a-vis Taiwan, but U.S. arms sales to the island make China's superiority less crushing than it otherwise would have been.

9月30日，在会见美国代表时，台湾“总统”马英九重申希望美国出售先进战斗机。前不久，美国决定帮助台湾升级现有的F-16 A/B战斗机。
据台湾中央通讯社报道，在会见美国众议院议员汉克·约翰逊时，马英九请求美国出售F-16 C/D 战斗机。

马英九对说约翰逊：“很高兴美国仍在审慎考虑出售（F-16 C/D 战斗机）事宜。”

上周，美国正式宣布：利用新技术将台湾空军目前装备的146架美制F-16 A/B战斗机进行升级。在总额高达58.5亿美元的对台军售合同中，没有包括向台湾出售66架功能更强大的F-16 C/D战斗机。

虽然本次军售低于台湾的预期，但仍激怒了中国大陆。大陆警告美国：中美军事关系将受到伤害。

台湾从1949年起实行自治，但大陆仍然坚持台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分。大陆希望两岸统一，即使这意味着战争。

目前，大陆对台湾拥有决定性的军事优势，美国对台军售试图削弱这种优势。