Chinese military says Taiwan’s US$8 billion deal to buy US F-16 fighter jets is a waste of money because they will be ‘useless’ against the PLA
- Beijing reacts with fury after Donald Trump agrees to the sale of the fighters, but military officials say the warplanes will prove to be ‘useless’ in any case
- PLA researcher insists that the arms deal is essentially paying America ‘protection money’
A mainland Chinese military official has said Taiwan’s purchase of American warplanes will not help the island defend itself and will only be a financial burden.
Beijing responded with fury this week after US President Donald Trump approved the sale of 66 F-16V, or “Viper”, jets to Taiwan in a US$8 billion deal, threatening to retaliate without saying what action it would take.
Senior Colonel Cao Yanzhong, a researcher at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said the fighters would be “useless”in improving the island’s combat strength against the mainland’s military.
“This deal just places an extra financial burden on the Taiwanese people and only benefits the American arms dealers … It is essentially Taiwan paying a fee to the Americans to buy protection, but this will not work and cannot protect them,” Cao said.
“No one shall doubt the PLA’s determination and ability to ensure our national security, reunification and sovereignty.”
Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that must eventually be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.