Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

PLA MARINE CAPABILITY STILL INADEQUATE: ROC DEFENSE OFFICIAL

Central News Agency

2005-06-30 21:46:52

    Taipei, June 30 (CNA) The People's Liberation Army's sea combat capability is still inadequate but if it wages "psychological, media and legal warfare" against Taiwan, the country will be under a great threat, a defense official claimed Thursday.

    Gen. Hu Chen-pu, director-general of the General Political Warfare Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks while speaking to graduating cadets of five military academies.

    In order to counter China's possible "soft-strike" strategy, Hu said Taiwan's political warfare units will have to remodel themselves into an effective, professional and integrated force.

    His bureau will shed unrelated business and focus on psychological warfare and counseling, cultural promotion, civilian services and military news releases -- all non-military jobs, he went on.

    Accordingly, he said, political warfare officers will have to sharpen their skills in boosting morale, serving military families and communicating with the media and elected representatives of the people.

(By S.C. Chang)

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