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Taipei, April 25 (CNA) Legislator Lee Ching-hua of the opposition People First Party (PFP) called for the Republic of China government Wednesday to say "no" to the United States on its offer to sell Taiwan four Kidd-class destroyers.

Lee called a press conference at the Legislative Yuan to announce his "12 reasons" why Taiwan should turn down the U.S. offer of Kidd-class destroyers.

Lee's reasons are:

- That the DDG-993 Kidd-class destroyer is more than 20 years old and its structure and equipment are aged;

- That the destroyer has a displacement of 9,783 metric tons with a draught of 10 meters, meaning it would be unable to anchor at any of Taiwan's existing military ports;

- That with its huge size and low mobilization speed during wartime, it would be an easy target for Beijing's forces;

- That the destroyers were designed exclusively for Iran and its combat system is less efficient than its counterpart Spuance-class destroyers that the U.S. Navy is currently using;

- That its special design and specifications require expensive logistic and maintenance costs;

- That the destroyer was designed for long-haul ocean-going combat missions, which runs counter to Taiwan's need for vessels capable of coastal combat missions;

- That the number of personnel aboard one single Kidd-class destroyer is around 400, making it a heavy financial burden simply in personnel costs and related training fees;

- That its mechanical 3D radar system is less sophisticated than the Aegis radar system of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which he claimed are the backbone of the U.S. Navy, while its air surveillance capability is not as good as that of early-warning surveillance aircraft;

- That its Standard II anti-aircraft missile system is not capable of deterring missile attacks;

- That its command, control, communications and intelligence systems are incompatible with those of the Lafayette-class frigates which are currently in ROC Navy service;

- That the cost of NT$25 billion for four Kidd-class destroyers, plus costs for initiation of weaponry systems and related equipment, port reconstruction, logistics and personnel will be a mammoth expense for the government; and

- That the United States tried twice in 1998 and 1999 to sell the four Kidd destroyers to Greece and Australia, but were turned down.

U.S. President George W. Bush approved a robust arms sales package worth more than US$4 billion to Taiwan Tuesday. The package, the largest since 1992 - when the U.S. government agreed to sell Taiwan 150 F-16 jet fighters - includes eight diesel-electric submarines, 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft and four Kidd-class destroyers. (By Deborah Kuo)