IT'S PATHETIC ONLY U.S. DARES HELP TAIWAN GET NEW WEAPONS: OFFICIAL
ROC Central News Agency
2005-09-28 16:12:53
Taipei, Sept. 28 (CNA) Deputy Defence Minister Huo Shou-yeh told the legislature's National Defense Committee Wednesday that it is "quite pathetic" that only Washington "dares to help Taiwan acquire military weapons."
This is why Taiwan has no alternatives other than asking the U.S. Navy to approach European manufacturers to make submarines that are needed to boost Taiwan's defense capability, he noted. The U.S. has promised to sell Taiwan several submarines of a type not built in the United States for many years.
KMT lawmaker Ting Shou-chung alleged that "high-level" Americans might have been involved in the arms deal between the two governments and that Taiwan's government has been "dragged along by the arms dealers."
After hearing a navy headquarters' report on changes to the budget for purchasing three major weaponry items, including eight submarines that will cost NT$288 billion, ruling and opposition lawmakers agreed to propose setting up an appropriation committee at the legislature in anticipation of passing the arms budget bill.
However, the proposal, put forward by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's Lee Wen-chung, the KMT's Liao Wan-ju, the Taiwan Solidarity Union's Ho Min-hao and others, was dropped after several committee members protested Huo's asking for leave from the afternoon meeting.
(By S.C. Chang)
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