Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

ALL QUIET ON THE CHINESE FRONT: ROC DEFENSE MINISTRY

ROC Central News Agency

2005-03-16 20:55:25

    Taipei, March 16 (CNA) Nothing militarily out of the ordinary is happening in China and the Republic of China Ministry of National Defense has not upgraded its combat readiness, an ministry official said Wednesday.

    Vice Minister of National Defense Tsai Min-shieh said that there is no need to upgrade combat readiness at the moment. Tsai's comment at the National Defense Committee at the Legislative Yuan came one day after Premier Frank Hsieh said during a legislative interpellation that with the enactment of the Anti-Secession Law by China, there are "risks of war" in the Taiwan Strait.

    Tsai said that the defense ministry is watching the People's Liberation Army of China around the clock and has so far seen no unusual activities.

    Asked when the military might upgrade its combat readiness, Tsai said that the defense ministry will follow set procedures should the need arise.

    On what attitude the United States will adopt in dealing with the situation in the Taiwan Strait, Tsai only said that Taiwan and the U.S. have open and clear channels for communications.

(By Lilian Wu)

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