US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld described Taiwan as a "sovereign nation" Tuesday, saying it was up to Taiwan to decide whether or not to buy the US$15 package of weaponry Washington has offered, and that the decision would not alter the US' legal obligation to aid Taiwan in defending against a Chinese attack.
At the same time, Rumsfeld said he did not think that the current joint Chinese-Russian military exercises in the waters north of Taiwan represent a threat.
Answering questions as a regular Pentagon press briefing, Rumsfeld declined to describe Taiwan as taking unfair advantage of the US' commitment to aid the island by failing to approve the special defense package while relying on America to come to Taiwan's defense in case of a Chinese attack.
"I think if I wanted to communicate something to the government of Taiwan, I would find a better place than here [at the press briefing]," he told reporters.
"I've always believed that countries -- sovereign nations -- have to do what they decide to do," Rumsfeld said in answer to a question about the Taiwan legislature's action on the arms package. "It's up to them to do it. "
We make our position known, and our position is known with the Taiwan Relations Act. And we have an obligation under that act to work with Taiwan on fulfilling security and arms sale provisions of that act.
"If they decide not to [approve the arms package] or if they decide to do so, that's up to them," he said.
The US$15 billion package, whose approval is supported by President Chen Shui-bian (
Rumsfeld's comments contrast with efforts by key Pentagon officials in recent years to pressure the Legislative Yuan to approve the special arms package, which includes diesel submarines, PAC III anti-missile batteries, and P-3C reconnaissance and anti-submarine aircraft.
Last October, for instance, Richard Lawless, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense for East Asia, and one of Taiwan's best friends in Washington, issued a stern warning to Taiwan that the failure to approve the arms package would result in dire consequences for Taiwan.
Taiwan would be considered a "liability, rather than a partner" to its friends if it failed to approve the arms package.
"If the Legislative Yuan fails to pass this budget, it will be much harder to convince foreign partners to support your defense," Lawless said.
His comments were in a keynote address to a joint military conference sponsored by the US-Taiwan Business Council, whose members include the giants of the US defense contractor industry, who would benefit from the sale of the items in the arms package.
Regarding the joint Russian-Chinese military exercises, Rumsfeld played down the significance.
"I guess I don't find it notable," he said. "It is just a fact that countries get together and engage in various types of exercises."
Regarding the exercise's potential implications for Taiwan, Rumsfeld said, "We are obviously observing what's taking place, but I didn't see anything there that was threatening to Taiwan or anybody else."
RESPONSE: The transit sends a message that China’s alignment with other countries would not deter the West from defending freedom of navigation, an academic said Canadian frigate the Ville de Quebec and Australian guided-missile destroyer the Brisbane transited the Taiwan Strait yesterday morning, the first time the two nations have conducted a joint freedom of navigation operation. The Canadian and Australian militaries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Ministry of National Defense declined to confirm the passage, saying only that Taiwan’s armed forces had deployed surveillance and reconnaissance assets, along with warships and combat aircraft, to safeguard security across the Strait. The two vessels were observed transiting northward along the eastern side of the Taiwan Strait’s median line, with Japan being their most likely destination,
‘NOT ALONE’: A Taiwan Strait war would disrupt global trade routes, and could spark a worldwide crisis, so a powerful US presence is needed as a deterrence, a US senator said US Senator Deb Fischer on Thursday urged her colleagues in the US Congress to deepen Washington’s cooperation with Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific partners to contain the global security threat from China. Fischer and other lawmakers recently returned from an official trip to the Indo-Pacific region, where they toured US military bases in Hawaii and Guam, and visited leaders, including President William Lai (賴清德). The trip underscored the reality that the world is undergoing turmoil, and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region is crucial to the security interests of the US and its partners, she said. Her visit to Taiwan demonstrated ways the
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). “China is strategically pushing forward to change the international order,” Lai said, adding that China established the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched the Belt and Road Initiative, and pushed for yuan internationalization, because it wants to replace the democratic rules-based international
RELEASED: Ko emerged from a courthouse before about 700 supporters, describing his year in custody as a period of ‘suffering’ and vowed to ‘not surrender’ Former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was released on NT$70 million (US$2.29 million) bail yesterday, bringing an end to his year-long incommunicado detention as he awaits trial on corruption charges. Under the conditions set by the Taipei District Court on Friday, Ko must remain at a registered address, wear a GPS-enabled ankle monitor and is prohibited from leaving the country. He is also barred from contacting codefendants or witnesses. After Ko’s wife, Peggy Chen (陳佩琪), posted bail, Ko was transported from the Taipei Detention Center to the Taipei District Court at 12:20pm, where he was fitted with the tracking
RSS