An F-16 in the ROC Air Force. (Photo/Liu Chu-sung)

Members of the Taiwan-US Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association will depart Thursday for the United States, where they will lobby for the sale of advanced jet fighters to Taiwan, the leader of the delegation said Wednesday.

Ruling Kuomintang legislator Lin Yu-fang, who is also head of the legislative yuan association, said his delegation will visit several US government agencies, including the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs.

The delegation will invite US Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to visit Taiwan, Lin said.

If Shinseki accepts the invitation, he will be the first incumbent American official at that level to visit Taiwan in 10 years, the lawmaker said.

Lin and his delegation will also call on congressmen and government officials and thank them for supporting Taiwan's efforts to join the US visa waiver program.

The lawmakers will also reiterate Taiwan's wish to purchase US-made F-16C/Ds, Lin said.

Other members of the delegation include KMT lawmakers Chiau Wen-yan, Liao Cheng-ching and Lin Ming-chen, and opposition Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chen Tan-sun.