DATE= 10/9/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-37740
TITLE=TAIWAN SECURITY / U-S RELATIONS
BYLINE=CHRIS SIMKINS
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: WHEN CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON,
LATER THIS MONTH, U-S POLITICAL AND MILITARY SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN
IS ONE OF THE ISSUES HE IS LIKELY TO DISCUSS. CHINA OBJECTS
STRONGLY TO U-S MILITARY SALES TO TAIWAN. AS VOA'S CHRIS SIMKINS
REPORTS FROM TAIPEI, TAIWANESE AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS SAY THE
DEFENSE ARRANGEMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO DETER CHINA.
TEXT: TAIWAN SAYS IT CONTINUES TO IMPROVE ITS MILITARY
CAPABILITIES TO PREVENT CHINA FROM TRYING TO RE-UNIFY THE ISLAND
WITH THE MAINLAND BY FORCE. TAIWAN DEFENSE ANALYST ANDREW YANG
PUTS WHAT HE SEES AS THE THREAT IN STARK TERMS.
/// YANG ACT ///
THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE POTENTIAL DANGER WITH REGARD TO
THE P-R-C'S (PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA) MILITARY THREAT
AND THAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR OUR MLITARY ESTABLISHMENT.
WE FOCUS ON THE THREE POTENTIAL THREATS NAMELY THE AIR
ATTACK, THE LANDING OF THE P-R-C FORCES, AND ALSO AFTER
LANDING THE P-R-C FORCES WHO WILL ATTEMPT TO TAKE OVER
TAIWAN.
/// END ACT ///
MR. YANG SAYS IN ORDER TO COUNTER THE THREAT, TAIWAN HAS RELIED
HEAVILY ON THE UNITED STATES FOR ARMS. THE TWO SIDES SIGNED A
SECURITY PACT IN 1979, IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES PLEDGED TO
PROVIDE TAIWAN WITH DEFENSIVE WEAPONS. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS
THE U-S HAS INCREASED ITS ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN, ESPECIALLY
ADVANCED WEAPONS SUCH AS TANKS, F-16 FIGHTER JETS, AND PATRIOT
ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEMS.
MR. YANG SAYS THAT SINCE 1992, THE UNITED STATES HAS INCREASED
ITS MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO THE ISLAND, IN WHAT HE CALLS A SIGN
THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO MAINTAIN PEACE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC
REGION.
/// YANG ACT ///
IT IS IN U-S SECURITY INTEREST TO MAINTAIN PEACE AND
STABILITY IN THIS REGION AND TAIWAN IS CERTAINLY PART OF
THE U-S SECURITY CONCERN. THIS HAS BEEN INDICATED VERY
CLEARLY IN THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT SIGNED IN EARLY
1979. IN ARTICLE THREE IT INDICATES VERY CLEARLY THAT
THE U-S WILL CONTINUE SUPPLYING THE NECESSARY DEFENSIVE
WEAPONS SYSTEMS AND NECESSARY DEFENSE SERVICE TO TAIWAN
SO THAT TAIWAN CAN DEFEND ITSELF AND MAINTAIN STABILITY
IN THIS REGION.
/// END ACT ///
CHINA -- WHICH CONSIDERS TAIWAN A RENEGADE PROVINCE -- SEES THE
RELATIONSHIP DIFFERENTLY. THEY SAY IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE
UNITED STATES' COMITTMENT TO A ONE-CHINA POLICY AND THAT IT
ENCOURAGES THOSE ON THE ISLAND THAT ARE SEEKING INDEPENDENCE.
BEIJING WAS INFURIATED WHEN THE UNITED STATES RESPONDEND TO LIVE
FIRE MISSILE EXERCISES NEAR TAIWAN IN MARCH 1996, BY DISPATCHING
TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS TO THE AREA.
FORMER U-S SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE SHULTZ COMMENTS THAT DESPITE
BEIJING'S OBJECTIONS, THE UNITED STATES ARMS SALES AND OTHER
MILITARY SUPPORT WILL LIKELY CONTINUE, AS LONG AS CHINA MAINTAINS
WHAT HE TERMS AGGRESSIVE MILITARY BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THE ISLAND.
MR. SCHULTZ WAS SPEAKING IN A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH VOA IN HONG
KONG.
/// SHULTZ ACT ///
WE (THE UNITED STATES ) HAVE UNDERTAKEN AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE TAIWANESE THAT THE CHINESE WERE WELL AWARE OF
AT THE TIME IT WAS WORKED OUT, TO HAVE OUR ARM SALES
GRADUALLY DECREASED IN PROPORTION TO THE NATURE OF THE
SITUATION. NOW ALL OF THE UPROAR ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WITH
THE CHINESE DEMONSTRATIONS OF MISSILE TECHNOLOGY ACROSS
THE STRAIT, PROBABLY MEANS THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO HAVE A FLOW OF ARMS OR SALES OF ARMS BECAUSE OF JUST
THAT DEMONSTRATION.
/// END ACT ///
THE FORMER AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS REDUCED U-S ARMS
SALES TO TAIWAN COULD HELP IMPROVE THE DIPLOMATIC CLIMATE. BUT
SOME MILITARY ANALYSTS DISAGREE. THEY SAY TAIWAN SHOULD CONTINUE
BUILDING UP ITS DEFENSE CAPABILITIES TO COUNTER THE MODERNIZATION
OF CHINA'S PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY.
TAIWANESE MILITARY LEADERS POINT TO WHAT THEY SAY IS A CHINESE
TROOP BUILD-UP ACROSS THE STRAIT AND MODERNIZATION OF CHINESE
MISSILES, CAPABLE OF CARRYING NUCLEAR WEAPONS. BUT SOME ANALYSTS,
DOWNPLAY CONCERNS OF A CHINESE THREAT, MAINTAINING CHINA'S ARMED
FORCES STILL LACK THE CAPABILITYTO SUCCESSFULLY INVADE THE
HEAVILY ARMED ISLAND. (SIGNED)
NEB/CS/FC/EH
09-Oct-97 3:53 AM EDT (0753 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
