Taiwan's military said Monday that a proposal by the United States to overhaul the country's aging F-16A/B jet fighters has passed a review and will send back the approved proposal to the US Air Force to seal the deal on July 5.
The Ministry of National Defense received the Letter of Offer and Acceptance detailing a retrofit package for its aging F-16A/B fleet in May, and the listed prices, totaling US$3.8 billion, were in line with the budget approved by the cabinet, officials said.
The letter came after the Obama administration last September approved the sale of a retrofit and training package for F-16A/B fighters worth an estimated US$5.85 billion instead of offering the new F-16C/D fighters Taipei had requested.
The new proposal's budget was lower than the estimated cost of the original package because Taiwan's military determined that it did not need some of the items originally offered.
Source :http://www.wantchinatimes.com
Taiwan has a military force station on Taiping Island, the largest in the Spratly chain. (File photo/CNA)
Taiwan's government voiced strong concerns on Friday against Vietnam's inclusion of two island groups in the South China Sea into its territory.
"Whether looked at from the perspective of history, geography or international law, the Tungsha Islands (Pratas Islands), the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands), the Chungsha Islands (Macclesfield Bank) and the Hsisha Islands (Paracel Islands), as well as their surrounding waters, are inherent parts of the territory of the Republic of China (Taiwan)," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
"There is no doubt that sovereignty (over those island groups) belongs to the Republic of China," the statement read.
The ministry's statement came after Vietnam's parliament recently passed a maritime law that claims sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Paracel and Spratly islands.
China on the same day announced the establishment of the Sansha City administration to strengthen its own claims over the Paracels, Spratlys and Macclesfield Bank, though the Taiwanese foreign ministry chose not to address this.
Taiwan does not recognize any claims to such territories made by any other country, the ministry said, adding that Taiwan advocates developing the resources of the area in conjunction with other countries based on the principles of shelving disputes and promoting peace and reciprocity, it added.
The Spratlys are a group of more than 750 reefs, islets and atolls, while the Paracels consist of over 30 islets, sandbanks and reefs in the South China Sea.
Reportedly rich in oil and other natural resources, the islands and their surrounding waters are claimed either entirely or in part by Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
Source :http://www.wantchinatimes.com
Taiwan has a military force station on Taiping Island, the largest in the Spratly chain. (File photo/CNA)
Taiwan's government voiced strong concerns on Friday against Vietnam's inclusion of two island groups in the South China Sea into its territory.
"Whether looked at from the perspective of history, geography or international law, the Tungsha Islands (Pratas Islands), the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands), the Chungsha Islands (Macclesfield Bank) and the Hsisha Islands (Paracel Islands), as well as their surrounding waters, are inherent parts of the territory of the Republic of China (Taiwan)," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
"There is no doubt that sovereignty (over those island groups) belongs to the Republic of China," the statement read.
The ministry's statement came after Vietnam's parliament recently passed a maritime law that claims sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Paracel and Spratly islands.
China on the same day announced the establishment of the Sansha City administration to strengthen its own claims over the Paracels, Spratlys and Macclesfield Bank, though the Taiwanese foreign ministry chose not to address this.
Taiwan does not recognize any claims to such territories made by any other country, the ministry said, adding that Taiwan advocates developing the resources of the area in conjunction with other countries based on the principles of shelving disputes and promoting peace and reciprocity, it added.
The Spratlys are a group of more than 750 reefs, islets and atolls, while the Paracels consist of over 30 islets, sandbanks and reefs in the South China Sea.
Reportedly rich in oil and other natural resources, the islands and their surrounding waters are claimed either entirely or in part by Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
Source :http://www.wantchinatimes.com
A locally designed Kuang Hua VI class boat from the Taiwanese navy (AFP Photo/Sam Yeh)
The computer was installed on board a Kuang Hua No. 6 class guided missile vessel. It belonged to a private contractor and was used for testing confidential communication equipment and procedures.
Last month it disappeared, while the missile ship was stationed at the southern port of Tsoying, Taiwan's largest naval base. An internal investigation failed to determine how it happened.
“We admit that the navy exhibited some flaws in the control of personnel at the base," a naval spokesman told AFP.
The case has now been handed over to the military prosecutors.
Taiwan deployed a squadron on 10 Kuang Hua No. 6 ships in 2010, which was deemed a major improvement to the country’s naval capabilities. They are each armed with four locally developed Hsiungfeng II ship-to-ship missiles, with a range of 150 kilometres. They are also designed to be stealthy and reduce the risk of being detected.
The missing computer may have been stolen by Chinese spies interested in modern military technologies, experts believe.
"If China obtained the laptop, it would get the navy's highly sensitive communications code as well as related missile data," said Erich Shih, an editor at Taipei-based Defence International magazine.
China and Taiwan have been separate since the end of a civil war in 1949. Beijing still considers the island part of its territory waiting for reunification. Relations between the two have been improving thanks to increased trade. The thaw was championed by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who came to power in 2008.
Source : rt.com
A locally designed Kuang Hua VI class boat from the Taiwanese navy (AFP Photo/Sam Yeh)
The computer was installed on board a Kuang Hua No. 6 class guided missile vessel. It belonged to a private contractor and was used for testing confidential communication equipment and procedures.
Last month it disappeared, while the missile ship was stationed at the southern port of Tsoying, Taiwan's largest naval base. An internal investigation failed to determine how it happened.
“We admit that the navy exhibited some flaws in the control of personnel at the base," a naval spokesman told AFP.
The case has now been handed over to the military prosecutors.
Taiwan deployed a squadron on 10 Kuang Hua No. 6 ships in 2010, which was deemed a major improvement to the country’s naval capabilities. They are each armed with four locally developed Hsiungfeng II ship-to-ship missiles, with a range of 150 kilometres. They are also designed to be stealthy and reduce the risk of being detected.
The missing computer may have been stolen by Chinese spies interested in modern military technologies, experts believe.
"If China obtained the laptop, it would get the navy's highly sensitive communications code as well as related missile data," said Erich Shih, an editor at Taipei-based Defence International magazine.
China and Taiwan have been separate since the end of a civil war in 1949. Beijing still considers the island part of its territory waiting for reunification. Relations between the two have been improving thanks to increased trade. The thaw was championed by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who came to power in 2008.
Source : rt.com
