Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

ARMED FORCES PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE DRILL KICKS OFF

Central News Agency

2005-06-13 22:10:28

    Taipei, June 13 (CNA) National Defense Minister Lee Jye instruct the armed forces Monday to maintain their guard and strengthen their will to fight, saying that China now possesses a more resilient "two-pronged" strategy against Taiwan.

    Lee gave the pep-talk in a written statement as an armed forces' psychological warfare drill week kicked off.

    He noted that Beijing has heightened its military intimidation of Taiwan through the enactment of its Anti-secession Law March 14, which codifies the use of force should the island move toward formal independence.

    But Beijing has also on other hand tried to create an ambience of peace through cross-Taiwan Strait private exchanges, showing that its "double-handed" strategy has become ever more resilient and flexible, Lee added.

    He said that since Beijing has broached its warfare on Taiwan on three fronts -- legal, media and psychological -- more than one year ago, it has continued to use one or another approach.

    Beijing has hoped that this "soft" offensive will undermine the morale of the Taiwan public and drive a wedge into a "unified" Taiwan, he said, pointing out that the armed forces and the public must remain vigilant against China's united front strategy and must realize the true colors behind what he described as a "charm offensive."

    He pointed out that Beijing has been promoting military buildup in terms of quality, quantity and high-tech enhancement and that it has consistently strengthened its military deployment targeting Taiwan along its southeast coastal areas.

    For this reason, the armed forces should not be fooled by the surface goodwill from the other side and relax its vigilance, as that would put a crack in national security and cause the government to lose its bargaining chips to counter or negotiate.

    He also said that the Hankuang No. 21 drill recently completed its computer simulation exercise and reached several consensuses, including that the nucleus of defending Taiwan should be to upgrade its self-defense capability.

    He said the ministry is planning to buy advanced weaponry and to step up its military buildup, because upgraded military personnel will need more advanced weaponry systems.

    The psychological warfare week, the first in Taiwan in seven years, will also for the first time introduce China's "armed conflict law" to allow Republic of China military personnel to gain a better understanding of the war strategies and combat methods of the People's Liberation Army.

(By Lilian Wu)

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