President backs arms build-up to counter China

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday called for the development of more weapons and gave the year 2005 as the date when armed forces should reach full combat readiness.

The comments were made during visits to the military-run Chunshan Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) and the Army General Headquarters, both based in Taoyuan, as part of his post-inauguration military inspection tour that began on June 28.

Chen, accompanied by Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and top military leaders, highlighted during the stop-over at the CIST his preference for the development of weapons necessary for the enforcement of his new defense strategy, which seeks to "confine the theater of war to outside Taiwan."

Weapons falling into this category include short-range and medium-range surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs), anti-ballistic missile (ATBM) systems, supersonic anti-ship missiles and vertically-launched anti-aircraft missiles.

Within this category, only the short-range and medium-range SSMs are fully developed, with the rest still being at various stages of development.

An official with the CIST, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the short-range SSM is capable of hitting targets along China's coastline and that the medium-range missile can reach further inland.

"These two weapons can be quite effective in establishing the capability of enforcing President Chen's policy of full--scale engagement with the enemy outside Taiwan's territory," the official said.

But the official declined to reveal what kinds of warheads can be used on the two types of SSMs. After spending about one hour at the CIST in the morning, Chen went on to visit the nearby Army General Headquarters, where he delivered a policy- and mission-specific speech on the future arms build-up.

"In recent years, China has actively upgraded its military prowess. Its intention to invade Taiwan has never been more obvious," Chen said. "Considering the narrow Taiwan Strait, the distinction between front line and the rear is pretty vague. We must therefore attend to armed preparations in areas surrounding Taiwan," he said.

"By 2005, the army is expected to reach the goal of full combat readiness. By that time, it will be a completely new force, which features combined ground and air combat capabilities, strong armored resistance power and an automated C4I [command, control, communications, computer and intelligence] system," Chen said.

By "full combat readiness," an army official explained, Chen means a capability to acquire all needed weapons and operate them at their full capacity in combat. Currently the army has to make the best use of available weapons because it is unable to get items it really wants.

"Chen may be suggesting that by 2005, the army will get and operate all the weapons it thinks it will need for defense against invasion attempts by China," the official said.

Chen also urged the army to focus on the advancement of joint-services operations, which he said are a very important indicator of a country's military power. Joint-services operations refer to the ability of the three forces -- the army, navy and air force -- to integrate their operations.