Commentary: Fighter jet sales to Taiwan and the complex US-China balance of power

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The move to sell US fighter jets to Taiwan has stirred fresh debate about the region’s balance of power, amid a brewing US-China rivalry, says ...

in China’s internal affairs”, adding that it undermines “China’s sovereignty and security interests” at a briefing in Beijing hours after the sale was announced.

China retaliated against the sale by closing the French consulate in Guangzhou and freezing ties with France, reversing it only when the European country undertook to refrain from such sales in the future. Today, the US is the only country willing to openly sell major defence equipment to Taiwan.China’s transformation into an economic and industrial powerhouse over the past two decades has seen its military capability grow accordingly.

They could face off 26 Taiwanese naval vessels and four elderly submarines, while in the air, an estimated Chinese 1,500 fighters and 450 bombers and attack aircraft may go up against the 350 fighters Taiwan can muster. The list of rejected requests includes the stealthy Lockheed-Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and, until recently, M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks.

The TRA was enacted by Congress as a response, and commits the United States to"make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability". If the military imbalance between two parties is great, the stronger side is more likely to see military action as a feasible course of action if it thinks a quick and relatively low-cost victory is achievable.

 

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