Two senior Republican senators asked President Trump on Monday to commit to selling ally Taiwan advanced F-35 fighter jets to counter a growing military threat from China.
The sale of the fifth-generation jets, made by Lockheed Martin, could help the island nation replace an aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons bought from the U.S. in the 1990s, Sens. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., a senior Senate Armed Services member, and John Cornyn, R-Texas, the majority whip, wrote in a Monday letter to Trump.
Taiwan has publicly expressed interest in acquiring the F-35, which is widely considered the most advanced fighter in the world, and the senators wrote that President Tsai Ing-wen has inquired about purchasing a vertical takeoff and landing variant used by the Marine Corps.
“The survivability of the F-35B and modern long-range sensors could help Taiwan intercept Chinese missiles, promoting deterrence well into the next decade,” Inhofe and Cornyn wrote. “The F-35B would not only provide a modern fifth-generation fighter, but would also bolster their capabilities in next-generation warfare.”
The U.S. sold Taiwan 150 F-16s in 1993 but now would likely only be able to field 65 of the fighters at any given time due to foreign deployments and an ongoing upgrade program, the senators said.
The number “is not enough to maintain a credible defense,” Inhofe and Cornyn wrote.
The U.S. has maintained officials ties to Taiwan’s government and backed its independence since the 1970’s despite Beijing’s claim that it is part of China.
The senators warned Trump that the power balance in the region may now be shifting toward China and the sale of F-35s could help provide Taiwan with more security.
“After years of military modernization, China shows the ability to wage war against Taiwan for the first time since the 1950’s,” they wrote. “However, with your leadership, it is possible to help Taiwan remain a democracy, free to establish a relationship with China that is not driven by military coercion.”
The question of the F-35 sale comes as Trump has taken a hardline approach to Chinese influence in trade and its theft of intellectual property — including some F-35 design plans — by imposing $60 billion worth of sanctions on Beijing.
