China’s hostility towards self-ruled Taiwan has grown since Tsai Ing-wen from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party won presidential elections on the island in 2016. China claims Taiwan as its own and is one of its most sensitive issues.

“These fighters will have a positive impact on Taiwan’s self-defense and would act as a necessary deterrent to China’s aggressive military posture across the Asia-Pacific region,” Senators John Cornyn, the assistant majority leader, and James Inhofe, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, said in a letter to President Donald Trump.

“After years of military modernization, China shows the ability to wage war against Taiwan for the first time since the 1950s,” they wrote. “However, with your leadership, it is possible to help Taiwan remain a democracy, free to establish a relationship with China that is not driven by military coercion.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China has been increasing its military exercises around Taiwan and making markedly stronger public comments about the need to prevent Taiwan independence.On Tuesday, retired Chinese general Wang Hongguang explained how easy it would be for China to attack Taiwan in an opinion piece in widely read state-run newspaper the Global Times, including a mass bombardment which would render Taiwan’s military inoperable within 48 hours.

Taiwan’s main command center outside Taipei is also clearly marked out on Google maps, Wang, a former deputy commander of the Nanjing military region, wrote.

“It would be like picking off lice on the head of bald man,” Wang added.