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PRESIDENT WARNS OF DANGERS OF LACK OF SELF-DEFENSE RESOLVE

ROC Central News Agency

2005-10-10 17:02:28

    Taipei, Oct. 10 (CNA) A lack of self-defense determination is the biggest threat to Taiwan's security, and the inactivity of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) is a result of caving in to pressure from another political party, President Chen Shui-bian said Monday.

    Chen made the remarks while speaking at a ceremony at the Presidential Office marking the Double Ten National Day of the Republic of China.

    Despite the huge challenges that lie ahead, Chen vowed again to pursue "conciliation, cooperation and ever-lasting peace" in terms of cross-Taiwan Strait ties, and said that "beefing up Taiwan's defense capability and protecting peace in the strait" is something the government must do to echo the fervent calls from the international community for the reopening of peace talks between Taiwan and China.

    The president lamented that the KMT "has been snatched away by another party" from granting approval to a major arms procurement bill in the Legislative Yuan -- an apparent reference to the People First Party (PFP) , which together with the KMT and New Party forms the "pan blue alliance."

    Pointing out that the major weaponry purchase plan dates back to the days when the KMT was in power, Chen called on the KMT to reverse its stance of opposition to the plan and not turn a blind eye to public opinion.

    The administration has made adjustments to the major arms deal which the opposition camp had repeatedly claimed was too expensive, but the KMT has failed to respond positively by cooperating on the issue in the legislature, Chen said, attributing this to the PFP's foot dragging.

    At a time when the United States and Japan have been on increased alert over China's rapid military modernization and expansion which has widely been viewed as a significant risk to peace and security in the Asia-Pacific, Taiwan has displayed no confidence or resolve in safeguarding itself, Chen said, calling this "extremely regrettable and a grave concern."

    The "pan blue alliance" and the "pan green camp" of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and its ally, the Taiwan Solidarity Union, have been engaged in fierce political wrangling virtually since the time that President Chen was first elected in 2000.

    The opposition "pan blue alliance" has blocked the major arms purchase bill at the legislature 31 times since the middle of last year. The bill would allow the government to use a special budget to buy eight diesel-electric submarines and 12 P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft for NT$340 billion (US$11 billion) -- down significantly from the original NT$680 billion projected by the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

    The MND has agreed to finance the purchase of the third item in the arms procurement package -- six Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries -- with the ministry's regular annual budget, instead of through a special budget.

(By Flor Wang)

ENDITEM/Li