NEARLY 70% FAVOR PUTTING ARMS PACKAGE TO SCREENING IN LEGISLATURE
ROC Central News Agency
2005-11-15 13:05:52
Taipei, Nov. 15 (CNA) Nearly 70 percent of the people are in favor of putting the government's arms procurement package from the United States to screening in the Legislative Yuan, a Ministry of National Defense (MND) spokesman said Tuesday.
Liu Chih-chien cited the results of poll conducted Nov. 1-3 by the ERA Communications Co. a local cable TV station, at the commission of the MND. A total of 1,068 valid samples were collected in the poll which is said to have a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Liu said that the poll showed that 47.6 percent of the people support the arms procurement package, compared with 37.8 percent who are against it. In addition, 69.6 percent are in favor of putting the package to legislative screening, compared with 12.2 percent who are against it.
Liu said the poll demonstrates that the ministry, through its national and frank explanation of the arms procurement package, has gradually won the support of the public.
The arms procurement package includes three big ticket weapon items -- eight diesel-electric submarines, a squadron of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft and six Patriot PAC III anti-missile batteries.
Noting that the package has been blocked for screening 36 times by the opposition-controlled legislature, Liu stressed that the weapon items are urgently needed to upgrade the nation's defense capabilities and that the MND will continue to communicate with the legislature for a speedy review of the package.
(By Lilian Wu)
enditem/Li
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
