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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


January 2006 - Taiwan Special Weapons News

  • CHEN: SCRAPPING OF UNIFICATION GUIDELINES CONSIDERED CNA 31 Jan 2006 -- President Chen Shui-bian sent shockwaves through Taipei political circles by declaring on Sunday that he is seriously considering abolishing policy guidelines for the eventually unification of Taiwan and China.
  • CHEN'S TOUGH STANCE TOWARD CHINA SURPRISES U.S. CNA 31 Jan 2006 -- The United States said Monday that it opposes any unilateral changes made by either Taiwan or China to the cross- Taiwan Strait status quo in response to remarks made a day earlier by President Chen Shui-bian on his stance toward China.
  • No Changes in U.S. Policy Toward China, Taiwan, State Dept. Says Washington File 30 Jan 2006 -- In the wake of recent remarks by President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli says the United States does not support Taiwan independence and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo by either Taiwan or Beijing.
  • NO TIMETABLE FOR APPROVING MAJOR ARMS PROCUREMENT BILL: PFP CNA 27 Jan 2006 -- The opposition People First Party (PFP) is strongly opposed to what it claims are "pork-barrel weapons purchases" and the party has no timetable for the passage of a related bill at the Legislative Yuan, PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping said Friday.
  • DEFENSE MINISTRY DENIES EXERCISE LINKED TO CROSS-STRAIT FLIGHTS CNA 27 Jan 2006 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Friday categorically denied that the military exercise staged by the Air Force two days earlier was in any way related to the recent launch of Lunar New Year direct cross-strait charter flights.
  • LEGISLATOR TO SUE U.S. PRESIDENT OVER ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN CNA 26 Jan 2006 -- Independent Legislator Li Ao said Thursday that he and his daughter in Beijing, Li Wen, might file separate lawsuits with the U.S. federal court by the end of January against U.S. President George W. Bush for asking Taiwan to pay for the arms supplied by the United States under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).
  • ARMS PURCHASE BILL LIKELY TO BE SCREENED IN MARCH: LEGISLATIVE HEAD CNA 25 Jan 2006 -- A major arms procurement bill that would allow the Taiwan government to purchase three items of defensive weapons from the United States is expected to be reviewed by the Legislative Yuan in March, visiting Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng said here Tuesday.
  • ARMS PROCUREMENT BILL MUST BE SETTLED SOON: KMT CHAIRMAN CNA 20 Jan 2006 -- Main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou said Friday that a key bill related to a major arms procurement package from the United States must be settled in the next legislative session.
  • DEFENSE MINISTER CRITICIZES KMT'S 'DEFENSE-ORIENTED MILITARY POLICY' CNA 19 Jan 2006 -- National Defense Minister Lee Jye criticized Thursday the theory of "defense-oriented military policy" put forth by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), claiming that the party has confused tactical force with the defense strategy idea.
  • PRESIDENT VOWS TO BUILD UP TAIWAN'S SELF-DEFENSE ABILITIES CNA 17 Jan 2006 -- President Chen Shui-bian called on the Legislative Yuan to support a long-stalled arms deal with the United States during the next legislative session, saying that his administration stands firm on its determination to build up Taiwan's self-defense abilities.
  • NO COMMENT ON U.S. MILITARY DEPLOYMENT ALONG SOMALIAN COASTLINE: MOFA CNA 17 Jan 2006 -- The Ministry of Foreign Ministry (MOFA) Tuesday declined to comment on reports saying U.S. warships have besieged Somalia to force the unconditional release of 11 vessels held for ransom by the African country's rebel militia.
  • MAC CHIEF URGES E.U. NOT TO LIFT BAN ON ARMS SALE TO CHINA CNA 17 Jan 2006 -- Mainland Affairs Council Minister Joseph Wu urged the European Union not to lift its arms embargo against China before Beijing "gives in" to allow cross-Taiwan Strait problems to be addressed in a peaceful manner.
  • Taiwan Premier Announces Resignation, Cabinet Reshuffle to Follow VOA 17 Jan 2006 -- Taiwan Premier Frank Hsieh has announced his resignation, paving the way for a Cabinet reshuffle following the ruling party's crushing defeat in last month's local elections.
  • KMT TO PUT FORTH ITS VERSION OF ARMS PURCHASE BILL CNA 16 Jan 2006 -- Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou told a group of foreign guests Monday that his party will put forward a "reasonable" military weapons purchase bill when the legislature reconvenes for a new session in February.
  • EX-AIT HEAD OFFERS OPINIONS ON TAIWAN DEFENSE CNA 15 Jan 2006 -- The approach Taiwan should take in defending itself is "to have a respectable deterrence" that makes its enemy "think twice" before launching military action, a former top U.S. liaison officer with Taiwan said over the weekend.
  • ARMS PURCHASE BILL UNLIKELY TO CLEAR LEGISLATURE IN SHORT TERM CNA 14 Jan 2006 -- The disputed arms procurement bill is not likely to be passed by the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan in the near term, according to political observers.
  • ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THREE MAJOR ARMS PROCUREMENTS AXED BY LEGISLATURE CNA 13 Jan 2006 -- The opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan Thursday axed all of the funds in the Ministry of National Defense's (MND's) 2006 budget plan related to a long-stalled U.S. arms procurement package.
  • US GOV'T 'TAKING BREAK' IN TAIWAN ARMS PROCUREMENTS: EX-AIT CHIEF CNA 13 Jan 2006 -- U.S. government "is taking a break" over Taiwan arms procurement as the arms bill has become "a political football game" between Taiwan's government and the opposition, former Chairwoman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Therese Shaheen said on the sideline of a topical lecture Friday.
  • PRESIDENT CHEN CALLS FOR QUASI-MILITARY ALLIANCE WITH JAPAN CNA 13 Jan 2006 -- President Chen Shui-bian told a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians Friday that Taiwan and Japan should further upgrade their substantive relationship through the establishment of a quasi-military alliance.
  • ARMS PURCHASE BILL UNLIKELY TO CLEAR LEGISLATURE IN SHORT TERM CNA 13 Jan 2006 -- The disputed arms procurement bill is not likely to be passed by the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan in the near term, according to political observers.
  • ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THREE MAJOR ARMS PROCUREMENTS AXED BY LEGISLATURE CNA 12 Jan 2006 -- The opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan Thursday axed all of the funds in the Ministry of National Defense's (MND's) 2006 budget plan related to a long-stalled U.S. arms procurement package.
  • ROC ENVOY DEBUNKS REPORT ABOUT U.S. RESPONSE TO CHEN'S SPEECH CNA 11 Jan 2006 -- The ROC representative to the United States debunked Tuesday a media report that the U.S. government had "rejected" the draft of President Chen Shui-bian's New Year's Day address three times before its delivery.
  • NPSU TO CONSIDER ARMS BILL IF FUNDED BY ANNUAL BUDGET CNA 11 Jan 2006 -- The Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU) would consider supporting a controversial arms deal with the United States if all funds required for the arms purchase were to be listed in regular annual budgets, an NPSU legislator said Wednesday.
  • NSC HEAD DISMISSES REPORTS ON U.S. RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS CNA 10 Jan 2006 -- A senior Taiwan security official Tuesday denied reports that the United States had demanded alterations in the draft of President Chen Shui-bian's New Year Day's address, adding that Taiwan's communication with the United States has been smooth.
  • U.S. HAS NOT PROTESTED OVER PRESIDENT'S SPEECH: MOFA CNA 10 Jan 2006 -- The United States has not protested over President Chen Shui-bian's New Year address as some local media have claimed, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said Tuesday.
  • ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE ON CHINA IS SUICIDAL: PRESIDENT REP CNA 09 Jan 2006 -- President Chen Shui-bian said Monday that economic overdependence on China would be suicidal.
  • U.S. RESPECTS TAIWAN'S DECISION ON ARMS PURCHASE LIST: DIPLOMAT CNA 07 Jan 2006 -- Washington fully respects whatever decision Taiwan makes on a major arms procurement package from the United States, including opting out of buying certain items in the package, Taiwan's top representative to the United States, said Friday.
  • U.S. NOT JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS ON CHEN'S NEW YEAR ADDRESS: ROC REP CNA 07 Jan 2006 -- The United States has shown great concern about President Chen Shui-bian's New Year address and is watching to see if it will mean any changes in cross-Taiwan Strait relations, ROC Representative to the United States David Ta-wei Lee said Friday.



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