Dear
Mr. Trent Lott, President Chen Shui-bian on March
2, 2001, appealed to the government of South Korea to consider the possible negative
consequence of seeking reconciliation with North Korea, saying
that Beijing might take advantage of such reconciliation to threaten the
stability of the Asia-Pacific region. North Korea has doubled the
deployment of its Rodong-1 missiles to more than 100 over the past two
years, a South Korean newspaper said on March 2, 2001. The North also
carried out three or four engine tests of its long-range Taepo Dong-2
ballistic missile since December 1999, the Chosun daily said, quoting an
unidentified high-ranking government source. A defense ministry spokesman said
the ministry had no information on the report. But another source said the
report was exaggerated. With a range of 1,300 km, the Rodong-1 missiles
could hit every corner of South Korea even though they are deployed far
from the border, according to the daily. Beijing has trumpeted “economic globalization” at the recently held Boao Asia Forum. This outcome has allowed China to expand its power and given it opportunities to become a new Asia hegemony. It has also increased China’s confidence in seeking the status of a global superpower. Chinese President Jiang Zemin on Friday urged China’s military to adopt proper ideology and put its loyalty firmly behind the ruling communist party, state media reported. “We must fully realize the
extreme importance of strengthening the military’s ideological and
political construction under the new situation,” Jiang was quoted by
state television, CCTV, as saying on March 8, 2001. He was speaking to delegates from
the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to the annual meeting of the
parliament, the National People’s Congress. The ideas of Chinese military power must serve for party. Jiang said the military should recognize its “historical the country and social stability.” He called on the PLA to strengthen
military ideology to ensure “guns will forever follow the party’s command,” and to ensure the
party firmly controls the military ideology. He also pledged to accelerate the
modernization of the army, use science and technology to strengthen the
army and step up training of military staff. China’s budget for 2001 includes
an increase in defense spending by a record 17.7 percent to around 17
billion dollars. Military analysts say China was
spooked by the high-tech efficiency of the U.S.-led alliance’s victory
in the 1991 Gulf War and its operations in the Balkans, and has since been
pushing to bridge the military technology gap. China’s military has been
undergoing reforms over the past decade which have reduced its manpower
from 4.2 million in the early 1980s to around 2.5 million. Tokyo, 9 March: Defense Agency
chief Toshitsugu Saito said Friday [9 March] his agency will closely
monitor how China uses its defense outlays for fiscal 2001, which are
expected to rise nearly 18 percent from a year earlier. “It is true that China has
increased (its defense spending) more than 10 percent annually for the
last several years. But (the proposed figure) is fairly high,” Saito
told a press conference. He said China’s plans for spending to modernize
weapons would mark a new trend in its use of its defense budget. Chinese Finance Minister Xiang
Huaicheng on Tuesday proposed setting aside 141 bn yuan (about 17 billion
dollars) for defense spending in fiscal 2001, which began in January, up
17.7 percent from a year earlier. If approved, the budget would mark the 13th straight annual
double-digit increase increased in defense spending. Saito said Japan plans to ask
Beijing to make clear the total figure for the country’s defense
spending, noting
that China earmarks funds for developing new defense equipment in a
separate account. On Tuesday, Japan’s Foreign
Ministry presented a draft annual white paper on foreign aid to the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) saying Japan should more clearly stipulate
its priorities for financial assistance to China. Some LDP officials have argued
that Japan, the top donor for China, should review its aid to Beijing
against the background of high growth in China’s defense outlays. Taiwan’s unique history situation has been greatly
influenced by two external governing forces; A.
Japan, from 1895 to 1945 B.
ROC, from 1945 to the present Taiwan should develop local and
objective historical perspectives through education and publication. Taiwanese people cannot accept the
third external governing forces; that communist China urged to trample on
Taiwan’s sovereignty. The large part of Taiwanese people
attained a clear understanding of the facts, thereby establishing a basis
for self-recognition and self-identity from our own perspective. We
understand who we really are and let the world understand who we are as
well. Taiwan’s
colonization has left a record of bloodshed and tears in which democratic
condition and human rights were on working for its people in island. In Taiwan, our legislative
majority always inappropriate for it try to usurp the Chen
administration’s role by opening up a side window for talking with
China. As a member of Taiwanese people we look down on those who forget they are citizens of the democratic ROC. What we need is a united front against China. This means that both China and Taiwan should be on equal footing and Taiwan should not accept the “one China principle” as a precondition to negotiation. Taiwan needs your support.
Yours Sincerely,
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