Taiwan Quick Take

■ DEFENSE
Pentagon urges new contract
The Pentagon on Wednesday announced a possible contract with Taiwan to continue training Taiwanese F-16 fighter pilots in Arizona and provide air-to-air missiles for live fire drills. The notification to the US Congress said the contract was valued at as high as US$280 million. It includes 10 AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles and five AIM-7M Sparrow missiles for live fire exercises at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, the Pentagon said. The contract also provides for the continuation of a program to train Taiwanese pilots at Luke Air Force Base and logistics support for F-16 fighter aircraft, it said. "It is vital to the US national interests to assist the recipient in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability, which will contribute to an acceptable military balance in the area," the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency said in a statement. It said the sale was consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act.

■ DIPLOMACY
Japan releases fishermen
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official yesterday confirmed that a Taiwanese fishing boat, chased and caught by a Japanese coast guard ship for illegal fishing near Miyako Island, was released after paying millions of NT dollars in fines. Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) yesterday said the fishing boat was from Ilan County. He said the fishing boat and its crew had been escorted to Yokohama and later returned to Taiwan after paying a fine of ?4.08 million (US$35,228). A Chinese-language newspaper reported yesterday that the Taiwanese fishing boat had defied a Japanese coast guard order to leave the area and was chased by the Japanese cruiser from early Tuesday morning until Wednesday night.