Minister of National Defense Wu Shih-wen (伍世文) has rejected criticisms expressed by military experts in Washington that Taiwan is not capable of operating and maintaining the sophisticated AEGIS-equipped warships it seeks.
For several years, Taiwan has sought to purchase four Arleigh-Burke-class destroyers equipped with the AEGIS radar system, which can track more than 100 incoming missiles and coordinate countermeasures.
However, both the Clinton and Bush administrations have repeatedly refused the request, most recently in April.
US President George W. Bush has agreed to a robust package for Taiwan, including Kidd-class destroyers and up to eight diesel-powered submarines, but has remained steadfast in denying Taiwan the advanced warships.
While this decision was mainly political -- an effort not to strain relations with Beijing -- some Pentagon officials and analysts at the influential California-based Rand think tank have said that Taiwan isn't up to the task of handling the command and control functions.
"It isn't fair to say so," Wu told a group of visiting foreign scholars during a wide-ranging hour-long session with the minister.
He cited previous instances in which such doubts were raised in Washington and only to later be revealed as unfounded.
One such case involved the sale of Knox-class destroyers with advanced propulsion systems that some in Washington felt were too sophisticated and Taiwan's navy wouldn't be able to maintain them.
He also noted that in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Taiwan's air force purchased and successfully integrated three new types of jet fighters, including 150 F-16s.
"[W]e are confident that if we are given the weaponry, that we have the capability to handle it," Wu told the analysts, who included a number of leading Sino-American military and political specialists.
Several analysts said after the meeting that this is the first instance that they know of where a senior Taiwan official has publicly refuted criticism by US experts.
Meanwhile, Wu dismissed recent reports that Chinese intelligence agents have infiltrated Taiwan's military. Some in Washington are said to be opposed to selling Taiwan advanced weapons systems, such as AEGIS-equipped destroyers, because of the alleged infiltration.
Taiwan has taken "all measures possible to prevent this," he said.
He also said that retired Taiwan military generals who have gone to China do not pose a threat despite their detailed knowledge of Taiwan's defense plans and weapons systems.
The generals have been highly trained to keep their secrets and have gone to China only to "visit their home towns. I don't believe they will sell out Taiwan," he said.
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