After the announcement from the Trump administration that they would move forward with sending an $8 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, lawmakers have been voicing their support of the decision.
One of those lawmakers is Senator Ted Cruz (R).
In a statement, the Texas Senator praised the Trump administration, explaining that “today the administration took a critical step toward bolstering the national security of the United States and our longstanding ally Taiwan with the sale of F-16s.”
In addition, “with China building up its military to threaten us and our allies – and the People’s Liberation Army aiming thousands of missiles at Taiwan and deploying fighter aircrafts along the Taiwan straight – now more than ever it is critical that Taiwan has the support needed to defend itself.”
Finally, the Senator concluded that he has “long called for the United States to transfer F-16s to Taiwan and bolster their defense capabilities, and I commend President Trump for acting decisively to advance this transfer.”
Cruz also asserted that he “will continue to work with him and my colleagues in Congress to ensure Taiwan’s security.”
The sale is the largest U.S. sale to Taiwan in years, and it comes at a time when the United States and China are both involved in a high-tense trade war. In addition, the United States has been heavily critical of China’s role in cracking down on Hong Kong protestors.
The decision also aligns with the United States’ commitment to Taiwan as a result of the Taiwan Relations Act, which was signed in 1979.
Both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee are to review the decision, and they are not expected to object.
