Taiwan President Lai Ching-te thanked fighter pilots who scrambled against China during its war games around the island, which it launched as 'punishment' for Lai's inauguration speech.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te thanked fighter pilots who had scrambled against China last week during its war games around the island, as he was briefed on the events at a frontline air base on Tuesday. China, which claims democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, started two days of drills last Thursday in what it called 'punishment' for Lai's inauguration speech that week. Taiwan condemned the exercises.
Visiting the east coast air base of Hualien, which is home to Taiwan's most advanced fighter jets, the F-16Vs, Lai had lunch with some of the pilots who scrambled during the drills. 'I would like to thank all brothers and sisters for sticking to their posts and protecting national security,' he added. 'In recent days in response to the Chinese military exercises, everyone did a good job.
Taiwan has been converting 141 of the Lockheed Martin Corp F-16A/B jets to the F-16V type, and has also ordered 66 of the craft with new avionics, weapons and radar systems to better face down the Chinese air force, including its J-20 stealth fighters. The F-16Vs can also carry Raytheon Technologies Corp's advanced AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
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