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Taiwan needs more weapons: defense chief
STAFF WRITER, WITH AFP
Monday, Feb 08, 2010, Page 3
Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu (°ªµØ¬W) said he would seek more weapons
from the US to give Taiwan greater confidence in pushing for rapprochement with
China.
The remarks came as Beijing and Washington are locked in an escalating row over
a large US arms sale to Taiwan.
China has responded furiously with a raft of reprisals, saying it would suspend
military and security contacts with Washington and impose sanctions on US firms
involved in the US$6.4 billion arms package.
But Kao defended the arms sale on Saturday, saying the package would help
stabilize the Taiwan Strait.
¡§The US has kept providing Taiwan with defensive weapons according to the Taiwan
Relations Act, enabling Taiwan to be more confident in pressing for
reconciliation with the Chinese mainland,¡¨ the Military News Agency quoted him
as saying.
Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Germany, on Friday, Chinese Foreign
Minister Yang Jiechi (·¨¼äãW) said US arms sales to Taiwan violated international
relations standards and would provoke a reaction from Beijing.
In response, Premier Wu Den-yih (§d´°¸q) said Beijing¡¦s missile buildup had
prompted Taiwan to seek more defensive weapons.
¡§It¡¦s just like two people trying for reconciliation. If one of them sticks a
gun in his waist, it would be weird, don¡¦t you think?¡¨ Wu said in an interview
with Hong Kong-based Phoenix satellite TV on Saturday.
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