Agence France-Presse,
Taipei: A top Taiwan army official is visiting the United States to seek to buy advanced fighter jets to help counter a mounting military threat from China, a report said Friday. Chief of General Staff Ho Shou-yeh led a delegation to Washington this week for talks with US defense officials, the China Times here said, quoting unnamed sources. Ho also hoped to meet “by chance” with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the newspaper said.
Ho was seeking to reaffirm a deal to buy 66 F-16C/D fighter jets after concerns the United States appeared to be dragging its feet on finalising arrangements, the newspaper said.
The US reportedly agreed last year to sell the jets to Taiwan on condition the island passed a budget worth 10 billion US dollars for US arms procurement.
Taiwan's parliament last month passed part of the 10-billion-dollar bill worth 9.8 billion Taiwan dollars (300 million US).
But it froze the proposed package worth 16 billion Taiwan dollars for the fighter deal pending a formal offer and quotes from the US.
The total arms package called in part for the purchase of six PAC-3 Patriot anti-missile systems, eight conventional submarines and 12 P-3C aircraft.
It was first offered by US President George W. Bush in 2001 as a way to bolster Taiwan's defence against China.
The US is the leading arms supplier to Taiwan despite its switch of diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Beijing still claims sovereignty over Taiwan and opposes Washington to sell any advanced weaponry to the island.
