Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

VICE DEFENSE MINISTER WARNS AGAINST CHINA'S MILITARY BUILDUP

Central News Agency

2005-06-23 21:42:28

    Taipei, June 23 (CNA) China's military buildup is increasingly threatening global security, particularly after its recent success in the test firing of newly developed submarine-launched 8,000-mile-range JL-2 missile, according to Vice Minister of National Defense Tsai Ming-hsien.

    In an interview with the U.S.-based Knight Ridder newspaper group Wednesday, Tsai said that with the success of the JL-2 missile test firing, China has shown hegemonically its ability to deter the United States from meddling should a serious military crisis occur in the Taiwan Strait.

    China has been pressing Taiwan ceaselessly through a series of political, economic and military activities, the vice minister noted.

    Taiwan is much smaller in comparison with China in terms of military expenditure, territorial extension and population, he went on, adding that Taiwan should develop reliable self-defense forces to ensure national security.

    It is necessary for Taiwan to acquire more advanced arms, he added.

(By Huang Kwang-chun)

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