Taiwan urges approval of US fighter plane purchase
Updated
Taiwan has urged the United States to approve the sale of advanced Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets as soon as possible.
However, the request - delivered by Taiwan's outgoing chief representative in Washington, Joseph Wu - would compromise the Bush administration ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing.
China strongly objects to the $US5 billion deal for 66 advanced fighter jets.
Taiwan submitted the request of purchase last year, but Washington has refused to accept the formal paperwork needed to process the sale.
The new F-16s would supplement 150 F-16A/B models sold to Taiwan by George Bush senior in 1992.
