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U.S. CONGRESS SUPPORTS SENIOR LEVEL U.S.-TAIWAN MILITARY EXCHANGES

Central News Agency

2005-05-27 14:34:28

    Washington, May 26 (CNA) The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2006, which contains a section requesting that the Defense Department relax restrictions on senior-level military personnel visits to Taiwan.

    Section 1203 of the act stipulates that "the secretary of defense shall undertake a program of senior military officer and senior official exchanges with Taiwan designed to improve Taiwan's defenses against the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China."

    According to the section, the term "exchanges" means any activities, exercises, events, or observation opportunities between U.S. military personnel or Department of Defense officials and Taiwan armed forces personnel or defense officials.

    The term "senior military officer" means any active duty general or flag officer of the U.S. armed forces, and the term "senior official" means a civilian official of the Department of Defense at the level of deputy assistant secretary of defense or above, according to Section 1203.

    The focus of the exchanges to be undertaken by senior military officers and senior officials shall be on threat analysis, military doctrine, force planning, logistical support, intelligence collection and analysis, operational tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as civil-military affairs, especially as they relate to defending Taiwan against potential submarine attack or missile attack, according to the section.

    The National Defense Authorization Act for 2006 was passed by the House Armed Services Committee last week before the House floor meeting endorsing it Wednesday night.

    In fact, a similar proposal was made by the House of Representatives in last year's National Defense Authorization Act, but the related section was omitted in the final version after the act was approved by the Senate.

    Currently, active duty U.S. generals or flag officers of the armed forces and civilian officials of the Department of Defense at the level of deputy assistant secretary of defense or above are prohibited from visiting Taiwan.

    The act passed by the House of Representatives Wednesday also demands that the Department of Defense prohibit arms dealers who have supplied weapon systems to China from taking part in the Pentagon's military procurement plan.

    In addition, the act also stipulates that the Secretary of Defense shall direct the National Defense University to ensure that visits to China and Taiwan are an integral part of the field study programs conducted by the university as part of the military education course, and that such field study programs include annually at least one class field study trip to the People's Republic of China and at least one class field study trip to the Republic of China on Taiwan.

(By Oliver Lin and Deborah Kuo)

ENDITEM/Li