Warning given on threat from China

 

NATIONAL DEFENSE: Beijing will attain a significant military edge in the Taiwan Strait by 2008 unless the government here boosts its defensive capabilities

 

AFP , TAIPEI

 

The Ministry of National Defense warned yesterday that China stands a chance of attacking after 2008 unless Taiwan continues to strengthen its defensive capabilities to counter the threat.

 

It is also most likely that China will carry on intimidating this country before 2008, according to a report by the ministry made available to lawmakers along with the ministry's defense budget proposal for next year.

 

"After 2008, if our defense capabilities are not sufficiently boosted, the military imbalance will create a favorable condition for China to paralyze us militarily and launch an attack," the report said.

 

An invasion will be possible if the international situation becomes unfavorable to Taiwan or when the hawks in the Chinese military get the upper hand, it said.

 

Political instability in China could also prompt an attack, it said.

 

But the ministry saw slim chance for a drastic political change in China during the term of Chinese President Hu Jintao, who like his predecessor Jiang Zemin, has maintained close interaction with the international community.

 

The report said as of the end last year, the People's Liberation Army totalled some 2.3 million troops, with 64 percent of them being ground forces.

 

Six percent are artillery troops, which have deployed more than 400 ballistic missiles aimed Taiwan, it said.

 

Meanwhile, the Chinese air force has some 3,000 fighters, one-third of which are deployed within 1,111km of Taiwan.

 

Last month, the Pentagon also warned in its annual report to the US Congress that China's military modernizations were giving Beijing the ability to launch a surprise attack on Taiwan that would keep US forces in the western Pacific at bay.

 

The US said Beijing was annually adding 75 short-range missiles to its batteries aimed at Taiwan and was acquiring or developing weapons and tactics aimed at countering technologically superior US forces.

 

In its budget proposal, the ministry planned to spend NT$265 billion (US$7.75 billion) next year, up NT$7.8 billion from this year.

 

Premier Yu Shyi-kun reportedly guaranteed the US last year that the government would invest NT$700 billion in modern weaponry in the 10 years beginning 2006.

 

Chinese-language media reports have said Taiwan is prepared to push that schedule up by one year and begin its own military buildup in 2005.

 

On the military's shopping list are eight conventional submarines, long-range early warning radar systems and Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile systems.

 

 

Chai releases new book on FTV

 

LONG STRUGGLE: Trong Chai's book is an account of his ideals to nurture democracy in Taiwan by founding the first private TV station in the country

 

By Chang Yun-ping

STAFF REPORTER

 

One day after his resignation as the chairman of Formosa TV (FTV), DPP Legislator Trong Chai released his new book FTV and I yesterday, which is an account of his efforts to push for the democratization of Taiwan by establishing FTV as the nation's first private terrestrial TV station.

 

Founded in 1996, FTV was the brainchild of Chai, who fought to break the KMT's monopoly on terrestrial TV broadcasting at a time when China Television Co was controlled by the KMT, Taiwan Television Enterprise was owned by the Taiwan Provincial Government and Chinese Television System was run by the military.

 

Addressing a press conference at the book launch, Chai said: "for the sake of Taiwan, I established FTV, hoping to cultivate dignity and patriotism in the Taiwanese people ? I've seen FTV becoming a trademark for localization work in this country and a major local TV station. Now, for the sake of FTV, I have decided to leave."

 

Chai resigned as FTV chairman on Thursday to comply with the DPP's policy of ridding the media of any political influence.

 

FTV is the nation's fourth terrestrial TV station. It has one terrestrial TV channel and one cable TV channel with a variety of programs covering news, drama and other topics.

 

Chai, a long-term independence activist, lived in the US for three decades during which time he co-founded the Formosan Association for Public Affairs and devoted himself to lobbying for improving Taiwan's freedom and democracy.

 

"I have fought for Taiwan's democracy and freedom for 30 years in the US. Since returning to Taiwan 13 years ago, I still strive towards the same goals. My personal success and failure is closely related to Taiwan's development. If Taiwan is swallowed by China, it would mean a complete failure of my entire political career, but if Taiwan finally becomes an independent country, it would be the realization of my life-long ideal," Chai said in the book's preface.

 

DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan, a good friend of Chai's, attended the press conference and said: "Chai's founding of FTV and then finally withdrawing from it are like Jesus Christ carrying the cross for the people of Taiwan."

 

DPP legislator and former chairman of Formosa TV Trong Chai launches his new book FTV and I.