A new arms package for Taiwan is making its way through the complex channels of the US political system, US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers said on Wednesday.
It follows an unprecedented period of no new US arms sales to Taipei.
“I would characterize the programs that are being looked at now — and these have all popped up in the last year or so — as house cleaning,” Hammond-Chambers said.
Photo: CNA
However, the new package is to consist of nothing much more than second-hand equipment, upgraded equipment and munitions.
Such a sale is unlikely to come before the fourth quarter of next year.
“Any new capabilities under consideration for Taiwan will be left almost certainly to the next US administration,” Hammond-Chambers said.
He was speaking at a Washington press conference following the release of a new report by the US-Taiwan Business Forum.
Hammond-Chambers said that by the end of next year, up to 24 of Taiwan’s frontline F-16 jets would be taken out of service for upgrades.
“In my view, this will exacerbate the debate over what to do about the future of Taiwan’s air force and put further strain on it,” he said.
The natural conclusion to Taiwan not receiving new fighters is that Taiwan would not have an air force, Hammond-Chambers said.
“At some point, the fighters have to be replaced and that should be an ongoing process,” he said.
He said that the likely next platform for Taiwan should be an upgraded fourth-generation F-16.
He said submarines and fighters are “incredibly expensive,” but Taiwan needs an undersea force and a robust modern fighter force to provide security, and the money is going to have to come from somewhere.
Hammond-Chambers said a limited purchase of F-16C/Ds — not the 66 originally wanted, but a more modest group of between 24 and 33 — might be considered by the next president of Taiwan and the next US president.
“That issue of the fighter replacement is going to be very much about who wins the presidential election here in the US,” he said.
Any such sale would likely come in the first year of a new administration, because after that it becomes more difficult politically, he said.
“History suggests that a Republican administration would be more likely to sell arms to Taiwan, but if [former US secretary of state] Hillary [Rodham] Clinton were to win the Democratic Party nomination and be elected, her national security team would have some strong voices for Taiwan,” Hammond-Chambers said.
“I would say to the Taiwan people that national security is expensive, modern weapons are expensive. Taiwan can develop some of them domestically, but some capabilities they will have to procure,” he said.
Hammond-Chambers said that returning to a period where the US sells arms to Taiwan on a regular basis would be “very difficult,” given the long freeze.
CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台灣國際造船) yesterday released the first video documenting the submerged sea trials of Taiwan’s indigenous defense submarine prototype, the Hai Kun (海鯤), or Narwhal, showing underwater navigation and the launch of countermeasures. The footage shows the vessel’s first dive, steering and control system tests, and the raising and lowering of the periscope and antenna masts. It offered a rare look at the progress in the submarine’s sea acceptance tests. The Hai Kun carried out its first shallow-water diving trial late last month and has since completed four submerged tests, CSBC said. The newly released video compiles images recorded from Jan. 29 to
DETERRENCE EFFORTS: Washington and partners hope demonstrations of force would convince Beijing that military action against Taiwan would carry high costs The US is considering using HMAS Stirling in Western Australia as a forward base to strengthen its naval posture in a potential conflict with China, particularly over Taiwan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. As part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, Washington plans to deploy up to four nuclear-powered submarines at Stirling starting in 2027, providing a base near potential hot spots such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. The move also aims to enhance military integration with Pacific allies under the Australia-UK-US trilateral security partnership, the report said. Currently, US submarines operate from Guam, but the island could
RESTRAINTS: Should China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, China would be excluded from major financial institutions, the bill says The US House of Representatives on Monday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which states that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude Beijing from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China must be prepared
Taiwanese trade negotiators told Washington that Taipei would not relocate 40 percent of its semiconductor production to the US, and that its most advanced technologies would remain in the nation, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said on Sunday. “I told the US side very clearly — that’s impossible,” Cheng, who led the negotiation team, said in an interview that aired on Sunday night on Chinese Television System. Cheng was referring to remarks last month by US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, in which he said his goal was to bring 40 percent of Taiwan’s chip supply chain to the US Taiwan’s almost
RSS