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MEASURED 'FIRST STRIKE' DESIGNED TO PRESERVE PEACE: MND

ROC Central News Agency

2006-02-07 21:15:21

    Taipei, Feb. 7 (CNA) The United States is supportive of Taiwan's measured mechanism regarding its reaction in the event of an attack from China, a Ministry of National Defense (MND) official said Tuesday.

    Gen. Hu Chen-pu, director of the MND Bureau of General Political Warfare, was responding to a media report that the U.S. authorities have questioned the rationale of Taiwan's response strategy in the event of an attack by China that requires its defense minister to give the "first strike" order instead of the frontline commander.

    According to the report, the strategy has made U.S. authorities distrust Taiwan's determination to defend itself.

    Contrary to the report, Hu said, the U.S. authorities are positive toward Taiwan's "you can't be too careful" principle in designing its response strategy. "The main purpose of having the defense minister instead of the frontline commander give the 'first strike' order in response to an invasion from China is to avoid unwittingly sparking a cross-Taiwan Strait war, " Hu said, adding that the defense minister would definitely report the situation to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, namely the president, before giving the "first strike" order in such a scenario.

    Stressing that the strict restrictions on the "first strike" are aimed at averting war and ensuring lasting peace in the Taiwan Strait, Hu said Taiwan's measured response strategy is a responsible manner for dealing with a sensitive issue. "I'm convinced that the international community, including the United States, is pleased to see Taiwan exercise prudence and self-restraint in handling the issue," Hu said.

    As a matter of fact, Hu said, both sides of the Taiwan Strait have been very cautious in handling even military training drills in order to avoid triggering a cross-strait conflict inadvertently. For instance, Taiwan has invariably unveiled its annual timetable for major military exercises to prevent China from misjudging the situation. Likewise, Hu said, Taiwan also knows in advance the timing and content of China's major military drills.

(By Deborah Kuo)

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