Two key Republicans from Florida on Capitol Hill are applauding the Trump administration’s efforts to help Taiwan’s defense.
Last week, the administration announced it plans to sell F-16 fighters to Taiwan for $8 billion.
From his perch on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., cheered the news.
“I commend the administration for moving forward with the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan,” Rubio said on Friday. “As the Chinese government and Communist Party seeks to extend its authoritarian reach in the region, it is critical that the United States continue to enhance our strategic relationship with our democratic partner Taiwan through regular and consistent support. This move is an important step in support of Taiwan’s self-defense efforts, and I urge the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee to quickly advance this critical arms sale.”
U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., the top Republican on the U.S. House Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee, also backed the administration’s decision.
“Today’s announcement that President Trump and Secretary Pompeo are moving ahead with an $8 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, is welcomed news,” Yoho said on Friday. “China makes no secret of the fact they wish to expand their authoritarian rule in the region. Despite rumblings from Beijing, Taiwan has every right to defend itself and its sovereign airspace. With this sale, we are reinforcing what is already known, the strategic partnership between Taiwan and the United States is ironclad. Together our two democracies will continue to defend a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Yoho has emerged as one of Taiwan’s leading champions on Capitol Hill in recent years. Back in November, Yoho warned that China could be interfering in Taiwan‘s elections. At the start of 2018, the House passed a bill from Yoho to help Taiwan become a full member of the World Health Organization (WHO). Yoho has also thrown his support behind the Trump administration’s decision to resume arm sales with that nation, including a $1.4 billion package which includes torpedoes, missiles and radar systems.
In the summer of 2017, Yoho and other congressional leaders, including U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, visited several Asian nations including Taiwan. During his seven years on Capitol Hill, Yoho has stressed that Taiwan is one of America’s strongest trading partners, ranking eighth for U.S. agriculture exports and as the U.S.’s tenth largest trade partner overall.
