US President Donald Trump's administration has given tacit approval to Taiwan’s request to buy more than 60 F-16 fighter jets, Bloomberg reported quoting sources.

Trump's advisers called on Taiwan to file a formal request for fighter aircraft, which he did this month. Any such request must be converted into a formal proposal by the Department of Defense and the State Department, then Congress will have 30 days to decide whether to approve the sale or not.

The United States refused to sell fighter jets to Taiwan. The last time Taiwan acquired American jetss in 1992 under President George W. Bush.

The administration of Obama rejected a similar Taiwanese request for new jets, agreeing in 2011 to upgrade the island’s existing fleet.