Good Reporting by Ralph Jennings on Taiwan's F-16 Repair Hub

Politics Taiwan Politics
#1

I’ve read several of these stories, but Jennings’s is the only one that included interviews with professors on the political difficulties of Taiwan servicing F-16 jets for the rest of the region.

“The long-term aim of realizing [the maintenance center] as a hub for regional F-16 maintenance, I think this one is so far far-fetched for now, due to political concerns,” said Collin Koh, a maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore…“But nonetheless, the way I see it, it’s a good way of marketing this particular hub,” he added. “You prove its capability to be able to maintain the F-16s properly, thereby in the future you may attract potential customers."
…
Outside countries could avoid a scene with China by arranging F-16 maintenance in Taiwan through non-government channels such as teams of retired engineers, Koh said.

Japan might send F-16s to Taiwan through a non-governmental organization, especially if it’s not the first country to try that route, said Stephen Nagy, senior associate professor of politics and international studies at International Christian University in Tokyo.
…
Whether China objects “I think that it really depends on how the equipment gets there,” Nagy said. “Don’t expect a direct flight to Taiwan anytime soon, but Taiwan is part of the supply chain.”

I listened to the Q&A session with the chief engineer at the inauguration session in Mandarin. Reporters asked him why they don’t call it the “Asia Pacific F-16 Repair center.” He said first things first, let’s service our own jets.

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#2

“Taiwan is sort of close to all the other countries concerned, so it’s quite possible” to take orders from offshore, said Shane Lee, a retired political science professor from Chang Jung Christian University in Taiwan.

“Taiwan IS sort of close to all those countries…and doesn’t really want to be China or Japan’s solid aircraft carrier”…jdsmith added. :smoker:

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#3

Taiwan’d be happy to be Japan’s aircraft carrier.

#4

Taiwan just poopooed a comecloser deal with japan. Someone mentioned it in the geopolitical thread about Taiwan being blowed up by China.

#5

link?

#6

No one interpretation excludes another, and, for its part, the government in Taipei has been typically cool in its response. Tsai was strongly critical of the exercises, framing them in terms of Beijing’s aspirations of power and Taipei’s efforts to strengthen its own international relationships, saying that, thanks to this latest round of PLA drills, ‘other countries in the region also have a better understanding of the threat posed by China’. At the same time, she declined a reported proposal from Japan to speak directly to incoming prime minister Yoshihide Suga, forgoing an opportunity to strengthen Japan–Taiwan relations, but avoiding antagonising Beijing.

Maybe not so much a deal, as an opportunity to talk.

#7

Ditching the median is of concern

#8

It depends how you look at it. Now, each side can better assess the other’s responses. The CCP side kind of have an advantage as from what I’ve read the TW pilots can’t fire or fire back w/o Cabinet Level approval, but that makes the CCP side look like pussbois.

I was reading a few think tank papers yesterday and one suggested TW bring back the 2 year conscription. If THAT happens, China would probably be more agitated than it is by Top Gun style dick waving. I’ll see if I can find them, if you are interested.

#9

Sure
But I read Taiwan fighters can’t
Fire the first
Shot
But not restricted from engaging afterwards

#10

We need a LINK!

It’s something like that. Either way Tw pilots have their hands tied.

#11

Doesn’t say anything about not firing back

#12

We need a link that helps!

#13

It’s what’s unsaid if you read that article

However it may soon be needed for Taiwan to warn China that if their fighters enter within 12 mile of Taiwan coast they will be fired upon

China is crossing the median and will just stay out of 12 mile territorial waters
Because
That’s what US is asserting
That beyond 12 miles is international space

China is saying this without saying

Sometimes it’s what is not said that Shouts

If Taiwan is forbidding it’s interceptors to fire back they may as well not send them and send hello kitty jets full of tourists to observe the activities of the Chinese Air Force and put it in the social networks

Actually that may not be entirely a BAD idea ?

#14

It’s much more complicated, situational, and inclusive than this simple news fodder.

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#15

Poor wording. You can’t decline a “reported” proposal. All just hearsay.

#16

From this link:

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said Sunday that she has no plans to have phone talks with new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga after signals emerged that he might be open to the first direct talks with Taipei in decades.

“We also don’t have any plans at the moment for a telephone conversation,” she said. “However, both sides maintain a cooperative relationship … and we will discuss things whenever we need to, so communication … will continue.”

A bit more than hearsay I’d say, but still doesn’t look like any chat will happen anytime soon.

#17

She didnt even say he offered.

#18

Chats can happen behind closed doors

#19

I would suggest reading the linked articles, OO.

New Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is hoping to hold phone talks with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said — a move that would mark the first direct conversation between the neighbors’ two sitting leaders in decades.

Mori, who was visiting Taiwan to attend a memorial service for former President Lee Teng-hui, told Tsai during a televised meeting at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Friday that Suga called him a day earlier to pass on his greetings to the president.

“If there is an opportunity, he would like to speak (with Tsai) over the phone,” Mori told Tsai on Friday, relaying Suga’s message.

I’m not sure what level of evidence you need to believe that there was a political outreach, whether signaled, or unofficial. It seems to me that there was. Tsai commented on it. So did Mori.

#20

Indeed !! All we know is that we do NOT know

And if anyone knows and I suspect someone does …then their position will be that they too do not know.

Some know that we don’t know
Some don’t know that we don’t know
Some know that we know that we don’t know
Some know that some don’t know that we dont know

Some know that some Do know

But even they who know don’t really know