Taiwan: first new F-16V fighters arrive amid China threat

Concerns are growing in Taiwan that support from Washington could be waveringImage: Ann Wang/REUTERSAdvertisementTwo new F-16V Block 70 fighter jets landed in Taiwan on Friday, the first of a batch of 66 US-made planes ordered back in 2019 as the island nation looks to bolster its defenses in the face of threats posed by neighboring China.

The aircraft, which flew via Hawaii and Guam, touched down at Chihhang Air Base near Taitung on Taiwan's mountainous east coast at midday local time (0400 GMT).

The arrival of the fighter jets was delayed by several months due to reported software issues, and Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo said more were on the way.

"Of course we won't only have delivered these two by year-end," he told reporters in the capital, Taipei, without providing further details.

"At present, I think aircraft are gradually moving through the production line, and there are also aircraft that have passed tests," he said.

The delivery comes amid growing concern in Taiwan regarding the United States' commitment to arming Taiwan – and ​a week after US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.

The US insists that there has been no change in policy towards China and Taiwan but Trump has stalled signing off on a new $14 billion package for Taipei. In May, he called it a "very good negotiating chip" in dealings with Beijing, raising fears that Taiwan's security could be traded away.

"We continue standing with friends and allies across the Indo-Pacific to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values — that includes Taiwan," said a US State Department spokesperson when asked about the new F-16Vs.

The jets, made by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin as part of an $8 billion sale agreed seven years ago, are equipped with advanced avionics, and radar systems to better counter the Chinese air force, including its stealthy J-20 fighters — but Washington has been unwilling to provide its most advanced fighters like the F-22 or F-35.

The Taiwanese air force, which scrambles on an almost daily basis in response to aggressive Chinese maneuvers, is expected to have over 200 F-16Vs once deliveries are completed.

"China's intention to annex Taiwan by force has never changed," said Defense Minister ​Koo, referring to Beijing's claims that the democratically governed island belongs to China.

The Chinese foreign ministry has not commented on the arrival of the F-16s but US officials told the Reuters news agency that a Chinese invasion before 2028 is considered increasingly ​unlikely in Washington.

That assessment didn't stop dozens of locals – some equipped with binoculars and long-lensed cameras – gathering near the air base's perimeter fence to watch the highly anticipated arrival of the jets.

"The threat from the CCP has always been there so we definitely need to strengthen our defense capabilities," Eric Chan, a 57-year-old former air force servicemen, told the AFP news agency, referring to the Chinese Communist Party and stating that the F-16Vs will "play a very important defensive role."

"In terms of hardware capabilities, there will definitely be an improvement," added Kimi Chi, a 37-year-old salesman from the central city of Taichung who had travelled through the night to be able to photograph the aircraft.

"But what we are actually lacking the most right now is pilots. Of course, I hope the government can provide better additional allowances for these military pilots."

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