US President Donald Trump’s failure to fill many of the top posts in his administration has hampered defense cooperation between Taiwan and the US, US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers told a news conference on Sunday.
Hammond-Chambers said that although he is “frustrated,” he is still optimistic about ongoing defense cooperation between the two nations.
Helping Taiwan build indigenous defensive submarines is a set US policy, but the US Department of State has since September last year failed to grant authorization to US firms seeking to offer technical support for Taiwan’s Dutch-built Zwaardvis-class submarines.
The department did not say “No,” but the situation in Washington is that there is no one to make a decision, Hammond-Chambers said, and the vacant posts have affected the implementation of defense security plans between Taiwan and the US.
He said he agrees that Taiwan’s insufficient defense budget has had a negative effect on its ability to upgrade its air combat capabilities and deter threats.
Advanced fifth-generation jets would give Taiwan unique and strong defensive capabilities, he said, adding that if the US cannot provide Taiwan with Lockheed Martin F-35 jets, then it should come up with a feasible alternative plan.
The conference, held from Sunday to today in Princeton, New Jersey, is a platform for dialogue on Taiwan’s national security needs, weapons procurement and defense cooperation with the US.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost