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Official confirms visit from US defense department

Vice Minister of National Defense Tsai Ming-hsien (蔡明憲) said yesterday the ministry welcomes a foreign procurement group from the US Department of Defense to visit Taiwan this weekend.

Tsai was responding to media reports that the group will come to Taiwan on Saturday for a five-day visit. During their stay, they will inspect the nation's defense industry, meet with officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense as well as hold presentations to brief Taiwan manufacturers on the requirements and procedures for US military procurement, the reports said.

Tsai, speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to honor outstanding military units and individuals on Military Service Day, welcomed the US group, but said that the economic affairs ministry will be in charge of the arrangement of the group's visit.

If necessary, the defense ministry will also arrange for the group to visit the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology -- a military-run research and development institute under the Armaments Bureau of the defense ministry.

Noting that China's defense budget is growing at a double-digit pace, Tsai said this is why the defense ministry needs to procure weaponry from the US, referring to the three Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile batteries, eight diesel-fueled submarines and a squadron of 12 anti-submarine aircraft, to maintain stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile, asked whether he will run for Taichung mayor, Tsai said that he is not very keen on the post, although he understands the high expectations of Taichung voters.

Earlier in the day, Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), director-general of the Government Information Office, announced that he was resigning his post to focus on his campaign for Taichung mayor in the year-end election.
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