16 July 2013

News Story: Taiwan tells US it wants to buy F-35 jets for defense


A delegation from the Taiwan-US Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association of the Legislative Yuan said on Wednesday in Washington that Taiwan wants to purchase advanced F-35 jets that best suit its defense needs.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator and association chairman Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) briefed the press in Washington after the delegation’s meeting at the Pentagon with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia David Helvey to discuss Taiwan’s needs for advanced defense weaponry.

The delegation also met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Regional Security and Arms Transfers Gregory Kausner at the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) Washington headquarters, Lin said.

The lawmakers said Taiwan needs more advanced fighter jets and submarines to enhance its defense, and needs to gain more international space.

Read the full story at Taipei Times