TMD SYSTEM MEETS TAIWAN'S NEED: PRESIDENT LEE
Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) President Lee Teng-hui who is also the chairman of the Kuomintang party on Wednesday asked KMT party members serving in his Cabinet to conduct a study on the installation of the Theater Missile Defense (TMD) system.
Lee described the TMD system as not only being able to meet Taiwan's current security needs but also providing long-term protection.
After being briefed by Minister of National Defense Tang Fei on the need for the TMD at the weekly meeting of the KMT Central Standing Committee, Lee then asked party members in the Cabinet to study Tang's suggestions on converting the island's armed forces into a lean and mean military force as well as ways to protect the public from a Beijing missile attack.
Tang, during his 30-minute briefing, analyzed the political, economic, defensive and psychological aspects of installing the TMD.
While the text of Tang's brief was classified -- copies were collected after the meeting -- portions were released to the media by KMT spokesman Huang Hui-chen later in the day.
Huang quoted Tang as saying that the anti-missile system is vital to Taiwan's security, especially the low altitude defense system which, combined with other air-defense measures, can effectively protect the island from airborne attacks.
Given the fact that missile attacks inflict more psychological impact than physical damage, Tang urged a campaign be conducted to lessen public fear of a missile attack.
Tang said that although the TMD system can ease the immediate threats posed by Beijing's missiles, Taiwan's security will be further challenged in the next decade, making a transformation of the armed forces essential.
Tang's brief, stated amid increasing Beijing-Taipei tension, won praise from several members of the KMT Central Standing Committee during the meeting, said Huang.
Huang added that during the meeting, both former Minister of National Defense Chiang Chung-ling, and former Secretary General of the National Security Council Ding Mou-shih emphasized the importance of national security and called for increasing the national defense budget. (By Maubo Chang)
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