Taipei Times
Date: May 05, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The Ministry of National Defense yesterday said it has no comment on suggestions by US politicians that the US Navy should consider shifting port calls of its aircraft carriers to US allies and partners, including Taiwan.

The Pentagon late last month said that Beijing refused to allow a US carrier strike group, including the USS John C. Stennis, to make a port visit in Hong Kong amid strained relations over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

US Senator Ted Cruz said on Twitter after the Pentagon’s announcement that the strike group should reroute to Taiwan.
US Representative Randy Forbes, chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee of the US House of
Representatives Armed Services Committee, said the “time has come to consider these alternate locations.”

Deputy Minister of National Defense Cheng De-mei (鄭德美) said at a legislative hearing that he had no comment on the issue.
“There is no information on this at this time. We have only read the news reports,” Cheng said.     [FULL  STORY]