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Hsiung Feng could have caused cross-strait tension: KMT

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Su Chi (蘇起) confirmed yesterday that he had proposed the KMT caucus cancel the budget for the production of the Hsiung Feng II-E, a locally developed cruise missile.

Asked for comments, Su said he made the suggestion to the caucus over his fear that the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) government plan to develop the missile would cause cross-strait tensions ahead of the presidential election.

Su said he brought up the issue so that the caucus and other KMT legislators could exchange opinions on the matter, adding that the budget should not be restored until the KMT wins the presidential race next year.

FEARS

A story published in yesterday's Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister newspaper) said that Su believed the production of the missile was a sensitive issue and could be manipulated by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to cause "controversies."

The story quoted Su as saying that KMT's presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had heard analyses concerning this issue.

Su was quoted as saying that he believed the issue should be debated by the public and he was considering holding a public hearing about the missile budget.

Asked for comments, KMT caucus whip Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) said the caucus would seriously consider Su's suggestion, adding that Su has a deep understanding of national defense and diplomacy.

FIGHTING BACK

During a visit to a temple in Taipei, Chen lashed out at the KMT's possible boycott of the budget, saying that the move represents the KMT's "one China" principle and its "ultimate goal of unification with China."

"The pan-blue camp would like to block the budget of defense systems. It seems that Taiwan is not their motherland or that there is no need to protect Taiwan," Chen said.

"If we cannot buy new [weapons] or create new ones, it would be like we are giving Taiwan away to others. This is a serious matter," he said, adding that ensuring national security had been his primary mission as president.
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