For Immediate Release
Contact Iris Ho 

November 20, 2009

TEXAS CONGRESSMAN INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO EXPEDITE DELIVERY OF F16s TO TAIWAN

(Washington) – One day after President Obama concluded his China trip and after the introduction of H.R.4102 in Congress of legislation highlighting the stalled U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, Texas Congressman Joe Barton (Republican) introduced H.Res. 927 to boost the expeditious delivery of F-16s to Taiwan yesterday afternoon. Congress introduced two resolutions within 24 hours on U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and Taiwan’s security right after President Obama issued a joint statement in China earlier this week.

The resolution concludes that “(1) it shall continue to be the policy of the United States, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan such defense articles and services as may be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability; and (2) the United States should determine the nature and quantity of such defense articles and services ‘based solely’ upon the legitimate defense needs of Taiwan.”

The bill references that “Taiwanese Defense Ministry has requested and the Executive Yuan approved in August 2007 a 2008 defense budget that includes approximately $764,000,000 for the second year's budget for F–16C/D fighters.”  

On October 9, at a Washington press conference, Senator John McCain what his own views are on providing Taiwan with F-16s. The Senator stated: “My position on F-16s for Taiwan is that I believe that we should provide Taiwan with the equipment that they feel is necessary to defend themselves. We know that there's a significant military buildup on the other side of the Strait. So, I personally favor the sale of F-16s to Taiwan.”

FAPA President Bob Yang, PhD, says: “This bill intends to remind the administration to truthfully follow the letter and the spirit of the Taiwan Relations Act. It is yet another message from the legislative branch to the executive branch to move forward with arms sale to Taiwan, and in this case, the F-16s.”

Dr. Yang concludes: “The sales and delivery of arms to Taiwan should solely be based on the defense needs of Taiwan - not on the politics of the day in the U.S. or in Taiwan, or on the state of U.S.-China relations.” 

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FAPA新聞稿

2009年11月20日

德州眾議員提出決議案，呼籲儘快出售台灣F-16戰機

在歐巴馬總統甫結束中國一行，以及繼美國國會於18日提出4201號法案，喚起各界重視久遭擱置的對台軍售之後，德州眾議員巴頓(Joe Barton, R-TX)隨即於昨日（19日）提出第927號決議案(H.Res. 927)，呼籲歐巴馬政府儘快決定出售F-16戰機給台灣。決議案表示：「(1)美國政策應在符合台灣關係法下，使台灣能夠獲得數量足以使其維持足夠自衛能力的防衛物資及技術服務；(2)美國將『單獨』依據台灣需要的判斷，來決定防衛物資及服務的種類及數量。」這是美國國會在歐巴馬總統於中國發表美中共同聲明後，在二十四小時內相繼提出兩項對台軍售與台灣安全相關的議案。

927號議案提到台灣國防部已正式要求，並獲行政院在2007年8月及2008年通過的國防預算裡包括有大約七億六千四百萬美元給F-16C/D的撥款預算。

參議員麥侃10月9日在華府一場記者會上曾發表對此議題的看法。他表示：「我們應該提供台灣他們認為足以防衛自己的系統。我們知道在海峽另一岸有著顯著的軍事擴建。所以我本人是支持出售F-16給台灣。」

FAPA會長楊英育表示：「這項決議案旨在提醒行政部門要真實遵循台灣關係法的條文與精神。這也是立法部門再一次傳達訊息給行政部門，呼籲對台軍售儘快有所進展，例如這裡所提到的F-16。」

楊英育表示：「對台軍售應該單單就台灣的國防需求來做決定，而不應受到台灣或是美國當時政治生態的影響，也不應該取決於美中關係。」

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111th Congress

1st Session

H.RES. 927

Declaring that it shall continue to be the policy of the United States, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan such defense articles and services as may be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.

Whereas April 10, 2009, marked the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8), codifying in law the basis for continued commercial, cultural, and other relations between the United States and the Taiwan;

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act, as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations, has been instrumental in maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Taiwan Strait since its enactment in 1979, when the United States extended diplomatic recognition to the People's Republic of China;

Whereas the Taiwan Relations Act specifies that it is United States policy to consider any non-peaceful means to determine Taiwan's future "a threat" to the peace and security of the Western Pacific and of "grave concern" to the United States; "to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character;" and "to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion" jeopardizing the security, or social or economic system of Taiwan's people;

Whereas section 3(a) of the Taiwan Relations Act states that "the United States will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability;"

Whereas section 3(b) of the Taiwan Relations Act stipulates that both the President and the Congress shall determine the nature and quantity of such defense articles and services "based solely" upon their judgment of the needs of Taiwan;

Whereas Taiwan's 2007 defense budget included approximately $488,000,000 to begin the process of procuring 66 new United States-origin F–16C/D fighters, pending United States price and availability data;

Whereas the Taiwanese Defense Ministry has requested and the Executive Yuan approved in August 2007 a 2008 defense budget that includes approximately $764,000,000 for the second year's budget for F–16C/D fighters;

Whereas the 2009 Pentagon Report on the Military Power of the People's Republic of China stated that "The PLA's modernization vis-à-vis Taiwan has continued over the past year, including its build-up of short-range missiles opposite the island," and that "In the near-term, China's armed forces are rapidly developing coercive capabilities for the purpose of deterring Taiwan's pursuit of de jure independence;"

Whereas the report added that "These same capabilities could in the future be used to pressure Taiwan toward a settlement of the cross-Strait dispute on Beijing's terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay, or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict;" and

Whereas the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair, in the 2009 "Annual threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence" stated that "Preparations for a possible Taiwan conflict continue to drive the modernization goals of the People's Liberation Army and the Chinese defense-industrial complex:"

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That—

(1) it shall continue to be the policy of the United States, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act, to make available to Taiwan such defense articles and services as may be necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability; and

(2) the United States should determine the nature and quantity of such defense articles and services “based solely” upon the legitimate defense needs of Taiwan.