【禁闻】台湾再吁美出售F-16
【新唐人2011年6月30日讯】美国《防务新闻》(DefenseNews)周刊6月27号报导,美国
政府再度阻止台湾正式提出F-16C/D战机的采购要求。29号,中华民国总统马英九接见
美国「预防性防御计划」访问团时重申,台湾空军F-5E系列的战机已经非常老旧,十年
来两岸军事明显失衡,因此有必要向美国采购F-16C/D战机。
29号下午,中华民国总统马英九在总统府接见美国「预防性防御计划」访问团成员
时,说明向美采购F-16C/D的主要原因。他说,中共在过去十年中,大幅度增加国防预
算,两岸间的军事平衡已经向大陆倾斜很长一段时间,因此台湾要向美国或其他国家采
购台湾无法制造的武器装备。
《防务新闻》报导,台湾驻美代表处24号准备提出66架F-16C/D战机的采购意向书(又称
要价书,request forprice-and-availability data),但是被美国在台协会告知,如
果提出将会被拒绝接受。不过台湾的国防部发言人罗绍和否认了这个报导。
报导中提到,美国参议员卢格4月初致函克林顿国务卿,要求她说明国务院为何至今不
肯接受台湾的F-16C/D采购意向书,但是国务院的回复却说,台湾从来没有提出采购意
向书。
可是,美台商业协会会长韩儒伯说,台湾在2007年曾经有3次被拒绝提出F-16C/D采购意
向书,台湾仍然没有放弃采购F-16C/D的打算。韩儒伯批评美国国务院虚伪,一方面私
底下告诉台湾不要提F-16C/D的采购要求,一方面却对国会议员宣称,台湾从没有提出
采购要求。
而《防务新闻》周刊根据美国洛克希德马丁公司委托德州佩里曼财务分析公司进行的调
查,台湾采购66架F-16战机将给美国带来87亿美元的收益,146架F-16A/B战机的升级案
可以带来45亿美元的收益,可以为美国提供大约1万6000个就业机会。
目前美国正面临着经济复苏、就业率以及对盟国军援等问题,军售台湾可以带来庞大的
经济利益,美国犹豫不决的主要原因又是什么?
美国前副助理国务卿薛瑞福在《新唐人》节目中表示,在对台军售的问题上美国主要还
是出于政治考量,不想得罪北京,他说,这令人很失望。
薛瑞福:「我的猜想是他们觉得北京会认为军售太具挑衅意味。但是,到一定时候我们
需要对台湾空军的未来做出一个决定,因为现在的舰队装备已经过时,已经不能应付来
自中国大陆的军事威胁。在将来某个时刻我们需要做出决定。如果不是F16,那也许应
该是F35之类的。」
《台湾关系法》在1979年美国与北京建交以后,美台签署生效,以取代原先的《中美共
同防御条约》。而条约中第二条明列了「向台湾提供防御性武器」的约定。
薛瑞福:「从华盛顿的角度来说,我认为我们没有办法来限制或防止北京参与到台湾人
的生活中去,因为他们确实有很紧密的经济联系。我们需要的是一个更强有力更好的政
策,来提醒我们的台湾朋友,美台关系非常重要,美国才是台湾忠实可靠的朋友,而不
是北京。这可以有很多种方式来做,对台军售只是其中一部分。」
对台军售一直是美、台、中三方关系的风向标,影响着美国在东亚的战略,随着2012年
台湾总统选举的到来,中、美、台三方关系相信会有更频繁的互动。
新唐人记者李庭、吴慧真综合报导。
Taiwan Asks For F-16 Again
Defense News reported on June 27,that the U.S. government again rejected
ROC'sformal F-16C / D fighter procurement requirements.On June 29, ROC
President Ma Ying-jeou metwith U.S. "preventive defense programs"
delegation,reiterating that the ROC's F-5E fighters are very old.Last
decade marked a cross-strait military imbalance.ROC needs to purchase the
U.S. F-16C/D fighters.
On June 29, President Ma Ying-jeou metwith U.S. "preventive defense
programs" delegation,and explained why Taiwan needs to buythe U.S. F-16C/D.
He said in the past decade,the Chinese communist regime substantially
raisedits defense budget. The cross-strait military balanceis tilted to the
mainland for a long time.Therefore, Taiwan needs to purchase from the
U.S.weapons that ROC cannot manufacture.
Defense News reported that on June 24,Taiwan's Representative Office in the
U.S. was topresent a letter of intent to procure 66 F-16C/D fighters,but
was advised by American Institute in Taiwan,that this proposition will be
rejected.Taiwan's Defense Ministry spokesmanLo Shao-ho denied the report.
The report mentioned that Senator Lugar wroteto State Secretary Clinton in
early April and askedwhy the State Department had refused to acceptTaiwan's
F-16C/D purchase letter of intent.However, the State Department's reply
saidthat Taiwan had never made the proposition.
The Chair of US-Taiwan Business Association,Rupert Hammond said that in
2007 Taiwan was refusedthree times its proposal to purchase F-16C/D.But
Taiwan has not given up purchasing the jets.Hammond criticized the
hypocrisy of the U.S.State Department, on one hand privately telling ROCnot
to mention of F-16C/D procurement requirements,but on the other declaring
to the Congressthat Taiwan has never made the proposition for it.
Defense News reported that according tothe Texas Perryman's survey,
Taiwan's procurementof 66 F-16 fighters will bring $8.7 billion revenueto
the U.S., and upgrading the 146 F-16A/B fighterscan bring $4.5 billion to
the U.S., and 16,000 jobs.
U.S. is facing economic recovery, unemployment,it needs to provide military
aid to its alliesand other issues, so arms sales to Taiwan can bringlarge
economic benefits to the United States,then what is the main reason for
such hesitation?
Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of StateSchriver said on a NTDTV
program,the issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is mainly dueto political
considerations of not wantingto offend Beijing. He said, it is very
disappointing.
Schriver, "I guess they think Beijing will takearms too provocative. But at
some point we need tomake a decision for the future of Taiwan's air
force,because the fleet equipment is outdated,it can no longer meet the
military threatfrom mainland China. In the future we need to makea decision
if not the F16, F35 may be the like."
In 1979, after US established diplomatic relationswith Beijing, Taiwan
Relations Act was signedand enacted by the United States and Taiwanto
replace the "Sino-US Mutual Defense Treaty."The second section in the Act
clearly states"to provide Taiwan with defence weapons."
Schriver: "From Washington's perspective,I think we have no way to limit or
prevent Beijingto participate in the life of the people of Taiwan,since
they do have very close economic ties.What we need is a stronger and better
policy,to remind our Taiwan friends, US-Taiwan relationsare very important,
US is Taiwan's faithfuland reliable friend, not Beijing.There are many ways
this can be done,arms sales to Taiwan is only a part of it."
(soundtrack in English?)
Arms sales to Taiwan has been the weather vanein the tripartite
relationship of China, US and ROC.It signals the US strategy in East
Asia.With the 2012 Taiwan presidential election coming,it is believed that
there will be more frequentinteractions among China, US and Taiwan.
NTD reporters Li Ting and Wu Huizhen 2011-06-30
10:31:25http://www.ntdtv.com/xtr/gb/2011/06/30/a553378.html.-【禁闻】台湾再
吁美出售F-16.html
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