PENTAGON'S POLICY TOWARD TAIWAN REMAINS UNCHANGED
ROC Central News Agency
2005-10-08 13:34:30
Washington, Oct. 7 (CNA) The U.S. Department of Defense said Friday that its policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged and that the weaponry the United States plans to sell to the country are defensive rather than offensive.
The Pentagon made the remarks in response to a Japan Times' report related to the U.S. military's stance on Taiwan's defense.
According to the report, U.S. military officers who asked not to be named have said that the new commander of American forces in Asia and the Pacific, Adm. William J. Fallon, has quietly encouraged Taiwan "to strengthen its defenses with increased spending, a better command structure, and defensive missiles, mines and helicopters."
The report also said that at the same time, the commander has urged Taipei to forgo high-tech offensive weapons.
Officers in the U.S. Command headquarters have suggested that an arms package featuring weapons such as diesel-electric submarines and destroyers that the Bush administration offered to sell Taiwan in 2001, be allowed to fade away, the report further said, adding that the arms package has languished in Taiwan's legislature due to stonewalling by the opposition.
However, the U.S. Defense Department said it has not changed its policy toward Taiwan and that it remains firmly committed to fulfilling the security and arms sales provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). "We will continue to assist Taiwan in meeting its legitimate self-defense needs in accordance with our obligations under the TRA," it continued.
The Pentagon also rebutted other parts of the report, pointing out that labeling some items of the arms package as "offensive" weapons is false.
(By Oliver Lin and P.C. Tang)
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