RESOLVE TO UPGRADE SELF-DEFENSE CRITICAL TO U.S. TIES: ENVOY
ROC Central News Agency
2005-09-27 23:11:09
Washington, Sept. 27 (CNA) Taiwan must prove its resolve to upgrading its self-defense capability in its engagements with the United States, the nation's top representative to Washington, D.C. said Monday. "How to prove our determination to beef up our defenses has become the most important and confusing issue in Taiwan-U.S. relations, " David Ta-wei Lee, the de facto Republic of China ambassador to the United States, said during a monthly news conference.
With the government's plan to procure three big-ticket weaponry items from the United States having been blocked by opposition lawmakers, Lee said many U.S. officials, congressmen and think tank scholars have questioned Taiwan's determination to upgrade its defense capabilities in the face of the mounting military threat from China.
As the United States is a stakeholder in Taiwan Strait security and stability, Lee said the United States looks forward to seeing Taiwan upgrade its defense capabilities. As to how to realize that goal, Lee said, the United States is willing to exchange views and cooperate with Taiwan in carrying out relevant projects.
Lee said it is hoped that Taiwan's opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan can begin deliberating the long-stalled arms procurement package in a rational manner.
The Bush administration agreed in April 2001 to sell the robust arms package to Taiwan, which comprises eight diesel-electric submarines, six Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries and a squadron of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft. Taiwan's legislature has rejected putting it on the legislative agenda for more than a year.
(By Oliver Lin and Sofia Wu)
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