Bentsen Urges OK of F-16 Jet Fighter Sales to Taiwan
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WASHINGTON — Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.) Friday urged President Bush to stop “coddling” China and allow the sale of U.S. F-16 jet fighters to Taiwan.
“Hard-working Texas defense workers don’t deserve to be penalized just because the Administration insists on coddling Communist leaders in Beijing,” Bentsen said in a statement. The F-16 is made by the General Dynamics Corp. in Ft. Worth.
“Even though Taiwan wants to pay over $5 billion to buy up to 180 of the jets, this request and others like it have been denied to Taiwan over the past decade because of the Administration’s concern about offending Communist China,” Bentsen added.
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