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Officials heading to US for arms talks

Taiwan and the US are to hold comprehensive defense talks and a computer war simulation later this month, defense officials said yesterday amid rising tensions with China.

Vice Defense Minister Lin Chung-pin (林中斌) and Vice Chief of the General Staff Chu Kai-sheng (朱凱生) are scheduled to leave for Washington Friday, leading a high-profile military mission for comprehensive talks on arms deals, Taiwan's security and bilateral cooperation, a local newspaper said.

The two-week visit would be the largest in scope in Taiwan-US military talks, the paper added.

A computer war game would be held in Hawaii December 15-17 when the delegates visit the US Pacific Command, the paper said.

The announcement came as tensions between Taipei and Beijing continued to build following President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) weekend decision to hold a referendum on a sovereignty-related issue.

Lin told the legislature that the engagements would cover "routine military exchanges under the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act."

He declined to give details of the visit, citing national interests as stipulated in the act, which governs bilateral issues with the US in the absence of diplomatic ties.

"Even if there is a computer war game, it will be routine and planned a long time ago," Lin said.

The paper said the war simulation was prompted by the need for the US to update its military contingency plans given escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen made his decision to hold a referendum as Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (李肇星), in a visit to Germany, warned Taiwan against holding a referendum on independence and said that China had the means to defend its sovereignty.

The "defensive referendum" was proposed after Taiwan's parliament passed a bill Thursday allowing referendums on constitutional amendments but set hurdles on sensitive issues such as independence and changes to the country's official name, flag and territory.

Chen based the rationale for the sovereignty-related referendum on a clause that empowers the president to initiate a public vote once the country's sovereignty is threatened by a foreign force.
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