Military says AEGIS will not spark an arms race

The AEGIS guided missile destroyer which Taiwan hopes to buy from the US is a defensive weapons system and will not cause an arms race in the Taiwan Strait, Deputy Minister of National Defense Chen Bi-chao (陳必照) said yesterday.

"Theoretically, the deployment of defensive weapons will not trigger an arms race between the two countries. History shows this to be so. The AEGIS-equipped ship is basically a missile defense system," Chen said. "Our plan to buy and deploy AEGIS ships was prompted by China's deployment of M-class ballistic missiles across the Taiwan Strait. China is lying about its understanding of the motives behind our planned purchase of the ships," he said.

Chen made the remarks yesterday as he answered questions from a lawmaker in the Legislative Yuan's defense committee.

"I do not think the purchase of AEGIS ships will result in an arms race between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," Chen told the lawmaker.

Chen did not comment on whether Taiwan would obtain approval from the US government for the sale of AEGIS ships to the country this year. Taiwan plans to buy four such vessels.

Also yesterday, General Huo Shou-yeh (霍守業), deputy chief of the general staff, expressed his uncertainty about the chances of Taiwan getting US approval on the AEGIS ships deal this year.

"We are not sure whether we will get approval [for the AEGIS ships] in the upcoming arms talks between the two countries in April. We will continue our efforts. We hope the US will see things from our point of view," Huo said.

"Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen (錢其琛) is sure to raise the AEGIS issue during his visit to the US. We do not think the US will easily give in to pressure from China," he said.

Huo made the remarks to the press yesterday during the lunch break of a closed-door session of the legislature's budget committee.

Huo appeared at the committee on behalf of Chief of the General Staff General Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) to answer questions from lawmakers about aspects of this year's secret defense spending.

The legislature's defense committee decided during the last budget screening session to put questioning on hold for further discussions during the current session.

The general also commented on China's considerable increase in defense expenditure -- up by 18 percent this year -- which has been much publicized by both the local and foreign press as a sign of China's growing military ambitions.

"China's defense spending has been increasing each year. I think the move is aimed at enabling the modernization of the Chinese military. We may not feel its impact anytime soon, but we will surely feel it over a longer period of time," Huo said.

"By that time, China will pose a substantial threat to the security of Taiwan," he added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense revealed that the military's total expenditure last year on weapons and equipment amounted to NT$89.8 billion, New Party lawmaker Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said yesterday.