Quoted from page Aljazeera, Wednesday, September 21, 2011, renewal of the F-16 jets made in the U.S. on Taiwan would cost up to U.S. $ 5.3 billion or about Rp49, 3 trillion. Taiwan defense ministry said the package of fixes and updates that will contribute greatly to the peace efforts in the region.
In addition, this project will also make the weapons Taiwan is not inferior to China's military arsenal is growing rapidly. Taiwan has repeatedly expressed concern about this. They are afraid of losing weapon if war with China.
"Mainland China's military expansion and its threat against the Republic of China (Taiwan) still remain. Improving our defense capability to be very important and this is the only step to maintain peace in the peninsula of Taiwan," Taiwan Kemhan said in a statement.
In addition to updates of fighter aircraft, military cooperation between U.S. and Taiwan also includes assistance with equipment and logistics, and combat training.
This plan immediately responded harshly by the Chinese government. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Zhang Zhijun, said the move would disrupt bilateral relations between the U.S. and his country.
"Whatever the excuse and reason, no denying that the U.S. announcement to sell weapons to Taiwan is a form of interference in the domestic affairs of China," Zhang said, quoted by Reuters.
"China calls for U.S. to be careful not to touch the sensitive and dangerous issue, appreciates China's position, honoring commitments and immediately cancel the decision," said Zhang.
Actually, Taiwan wants to buy as many as 66 new fighter type F-16C / D from the U.S.. But the U.S. rejected the offer and replace it with Taiwan updating an existing aircraft by adding cutting-edge weapons and radar. Type fighter F-16A / B rated Taiwan's outdated.
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