【新唐人2011年6月30日訊】美國《防務新聞》(Defense News)週刊6月27號報導，美國政府再度阻止台灣正式提出F-16C/D戰機的採購要求。29號，中華民國總統馬英九接見美國「預防性防禦計劃」訪問團時重申，台灣空軍F-5E系列的戰機已經非常老舊，十年來兩岸軍事明顯失衡，因此有必要向美國採購F-16C/D戰機。
29號下午，中華民國總統馬英九在總統府接見美國「預防性防禦計劃」訪問團成員時，說明向美採購F-16C/D的主要原因。他說，中共在過去十年中，大幅度增加國防預算，兩岸間的軍事平衡已經向大陸傾斜很長一段時間，因此台灣要向美國或其他國家採購台灣無法製造的武器裝備。
《防務新聞》報導，台灣駐美代表處24號準備提出66架F-16C/D戰機的採購意向書(又稱要價書，request for price-and-availability data)，但是被美國在臺協會告知，如果提出將會被拒絕接受。不過台灣的國防部發言人羅紹和否認了這個報導。
報導中提到，美國參議員盧格4月初致函克林頓國務卿，要求她說明國務院為何至今不肯接受台灣的F-16C/D採購意向書，但是國務院的回覆卻說，台灣從來沒有提出採購意向書。
可是，美臺商業協會會長韓儒伯說，台灣在2007年曾經有3次被拒絕提出F-16C/D採購意向書，台灣仍然沒有放棄採購F-16C/D的打算。韓儒伯批評美國國務院虛偽，一方面私底下告訴台灣不要提F-16C/D的採購要求，一方面卻對國會議員宣稱，台灣從沒有提出採購要求。
而《防務新聞》週刊根據美國洛克希德馬丁公司委託德州佩里曼財務分析公司進行的調查，台灣採購66架F-16戰機將給美國帶來87億美元的收益，146架F-16A/B戰機的升級案可以帶來45億美元的收益，可以為美國提供大約1萬6000個就業機會。
目前美國正面臨著經濟復甦、就業率以及對盟國軍援等問題，軍售台灣可以帶來龐大的經濟利益，美國猶豫不決的主要原因又是甚麼？
美國前副助理國務卿薛瑞福在《新唐人》節目中表示，在對臺軍售的問題上美國主要還是出於政治考量，不想得罪北京，他說，這令人很失望。
薛瑞福：「我的猜想是他們覺得北京會認為軍售太具挑釁意味。但是，到一定時候我們需要對台灣空軍的未來做出一個決定，因為現在的艦隊裝備已經過時，已經不能應付來自中國大陸的軍事威脅。在將來某個時刻我們需要做出決定。如果不是F16，那也許應該是F35之類的。」
《台灣關係法》在1979年美國與北京建交以後，美臺簽署生效，以取代原先的《中美共同防禦條約》。而條約中第二條明列了「向台灣提供防禦性武器」的約定。
薛瑞福：「從華盛頓的角度來說，我認為我們沒有辦法來限制或防止北京參與到台灣人的生活中去，因為他們確實有很緊密的經濟聯繫。我們需要的是一個更強有力更好的政策，來提醒我們的台灣朋友，美臺關係非常重要，美國才是台灣忠實可靠的朋友，而不是北京。這可以有很多種方式來做，對臺軍售只是其中一部分。」
對臺軍售一直是美、臺、中三方關係的風向標，影響著美國在東亞的戰略，隨著2012年台灣總統選舉的到來，中、美、臺三方關係相信會有更頻繁的互動。
新唐人記者李庭、吳慧真綜合報導。
Taiwan Asks For F-16 Again
Defense News reported on June 27,
that the U.S. government again rejected ROC』s
formal F-16C / D fighter procurement requirements.
On June 29, ROC President Ma Ying-jeou met
with 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 met
with U.S. "preventive defense programs" delegation,
and explained why Taiwan needs to buy
the U.S. F-16C/D. He said in the past decade,
the Chinese communist regime substantially raised
its defense budget. The cross-strait military balance
is 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 to
present 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 spokesman
Lo Shao-ho denied the report.
The report mentioned that Senator Lugar wrote
to State Secretary Clinton in early April and asked
why the State Department had refused to accept
Taiwan's F-16C/D purchase letter of intent.
However, the State Department's reply said
that Taiwan had never made the proposition.
The Chair of US-Taiwan Business Association,
Rupert Hammond said that in 2007 Taiwan was refused
three 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 ROC
not to mention of F-16C/D procurement requirements,
but on the other declaring to the Congress
that Taiwan has never made the proposition for it.
Defense News reported that according to
the Texas Perryman』s survey, Taiwan's procurement
of 66 F-16 fighters will bring $8.7 billion revenue
to the U.S., and upgrading the 146 F-16A/B fighters
can 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 allies
and other issues, so arms sales to Taiwan can bring
large economic benefits to the United States,
then what is the main reason for such hesitation?
Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Schriver said on a NTDTV program,
the issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan is mainly due
to political considerations of not wanting
to offend Beijing. He said, it is very disappointing.
Schriver, "I guess they think Beijing will take
arms too provocative. But at some point we need to
make a decision for the future of Taiwan's air force,
because the fleet equipment is outdated,
it can no longer meet the military threat
from mainland China. In the future we need to make
a decision if not the F16, F35 may be the like."
In 1979, after US established diplomatic relations
with Beijing, Taiwan Relations Act was signed
and enacted by the United States and Taiwan
to 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 Beijing
to 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 relations
are very important, US is Taiwan's faithful
and 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 vane
in 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 frequent
interactions among China, US and Taiwan.
NTD reporters Li Ting and Wu Huizhen
