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War games are postponed: MND

"The MND is communicating with the Pacific Command, but we do not know when the computer war-game will be held."

Rear Admiral Liou Chih-chien, MND spokesman

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday confirmed that an annual US-Taiwan joint computer war game, which was set to be held in December, has been postponed.

"The MND believes the delay is because the new head of Pacific Command, Admiral William Fallon, and his new team need more time to study affairs regarding regular military exchanges with Taiwan, such as joint computer war games," said MND Spokesman Rear Admiral Liou Chih-chien (劉志堅) yesterday.

"The MND is communicating with the Pacific Command, but we do not know when the computer war-game will be held," Liu added.

"The delay is unrelated to the failure of the special arms procurement bill to pass, and the US proposal to join next year's computer war games as part of the annual `Han Kuang' military exercises will not be affected," he said.

"Several military exchanges between the US and Taiwan this year have proceeded well, and a delay of a single military exchange does not indicate any change in the US' stance toward Taiwan," he added.

Liu's remark came in response to a report in the Chinese language daily China Times, which reported that the Pacific Command normally invited Taiwan's high ranking military officials in September to attend a US-Taiwan joint computer war game held at Pacific Command headquarters in December, but that the ministry had not yet received an invitation.

The news report also speculated that the delay was a warning from the US, which it said was dissatisfied about Taiwan's delay in purchasing weapons systems.

The US normally sends military delegations to observe the annual Han Kuang computer war games in the middle of each year, and also invites Taiwan's officials to attend a computer war game at the Pacific Command at the end of each year.

In December 2003, then MND deputy minister Lin Chong-pin (林中斌) and former General Staff deputy chief Chu Kai-sheng (朱凱生) were invited to attend the computer exercise, while former MND deputy minister Tsai Ming-hsien (蔡明憲) and former General Staff deputy chief Tseng Chin-ling (曾金陵) led a team to Pacific Command last year.

In addition to the computer war games, an annual high-level security discussion called the "Monterey Talks" -- so named because they take place in Monterey, California -- was also postponed this year.

The talks were originally scheduled to be held on Sept. 13 and 14, but were canceled because of the visit to the US by Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤). However, after the cancelation was leaked to the media, and because of pressure from the US defense department, the US government decided to reschedule the talks.
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