Minister of National Defense Lee Jye (李傑) yesterday stressed that the military has no policy of adopting a "Cold War-style `balance of terror'" to counter China's military threats. This phrase was used by Premier Yu Shyi-kun last week.
"The premier never discussed his thoughts with me, and the MND has never developed such an idea," Lee said when answering legislators' questions during the National Defense Committee meeting in the Legislative Yuan.
"Taiwan will not fight a war with China unless China launches a military action first," Lee said, adding that the military's long-term strategy of "effective deterrence and resolute defense" remains unchanged.
Yu made his "Cold War-style" strategy comments last Saturday in response to an anti-government arms procurement budget protest on the same day.
"The best scenario will see a `balance of terror' being maintained across the Taiwan Strait so that national security is safeguarded," Yu said.
"If you fire 100 missiles at me, I should be able to fire at least 50 at you. If you launch an attack on ... Kaohsiung, I should be able to launch a counterattack on Shanghai."
Yu's controversial remarks immediately aroused serious concerns from both Taiwanese politicians and the international community.
Opposition lawmakers therefore focused on the issue yesterday to ask Lee Jye whether or not the military changed its doctrine to adopt an "active defense" strategy, such as the premier's idea of attacking Shanghai with ballistic missiles.
Lee denied that the military has listed any city or particular target in China for a missile strike, but he admitted that the doctrine of "firing 500 missiles back if the enemy launches 1,000 to attack our country" is part of the military's strategy of deterring China's military action.
"There are Taiwanese businessmen and foreigners in Shanghai, so, even if there is an event of hostilities breaking out between the two sides of the Strait, Taiwan will not target densely populated areas in China, but will focus only on military targets," Lee said.
Lawmaker also questioned whether Yu's remark meant that Taiwan has the capability of developing mid-range surface-to-surface missiles which could be used to strike China's coastal and interior areas. Lee didn't deny it and just said that the question covers the country's classified military information, "I can not comment."
Meanwhile, Lee told lawmakers that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed about 600 short-range ballistic missiles within striking distance of Taiwan, a number which is likely to increase to over 800 before the end of 2006.
"If war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, the PLA could launch five waves of extensive strikes lasting 10 hours," he said. "They may also fire 200-odd cruise missiles from bases 1,000 miles [1,600km] away from Taiwan to attack the nation's key targets."
Lee urged the Legislative Yuan to approve the government's NT$610 billion arms procurement budget.
"Given missile defensive capabilities, we are hardly able to cope with the threat," he said.
He said that in accordance with the MND's evaluation, the arms deal, including Patriot III anti-missile batteries, 12 P-3C maritime patrol aircraft and eight diesel-electric submarines, can effectively ensure 30 years of peace in the Taiwan Strait.
"Actually, we also need AEGIS-equipped destroyers, which cost NT$40 billion each, for self-defense," Lee said, adding that the US government has not yet agreed to selling the ships.
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