Print

Mail

wiki links

Arms firm funding `inappropriate': Wu

Armaments Bureau Director-General Wu Wei-rong (吳偉榮) confirmed yesterday he had initially recommended the ministry not fund the newly established arms dealership Taiwan Goal.

Wu said at a press conference organized by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus that he had told Minister of National Defense Minister Lee Tien-yu (李天羽) that it was not appropriate for the ministry to fund 45 percent of Taiwan Goal's initial capital.

Wu said the establishment of companies like Taiwan Goal was good policy, but that the timing of its establishment was wrong because the creation of the company prior to the presidential election had raised public concerns.

Asked by the caucus whether he had suggested that Lee urge President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to disband Taiwan Goal, Wu said he had "adequately" communicated with Lee, adding that Lee had seemed to agree with his position.

Wu was invited by the caucus in response to members' questions regarding Taiwan Goal.

Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) confirmed the firm's existence on Thursday last week.

Established at the end of last month, Taiwan Goal is led by Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁), a stalwart of the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) disbanded New Tide faction.

Forty-five percent of Taiwan Goal's initial capital will come from the ministry, prompting speculation by the KMT that the government was seeking to profit from the firm and that the company would be immune from legislative oversight.

KMT caucus whip Kuo Su-chun (郭素春), who attended the press conference, said the Presidential Office was behind Taiwan Goal.

KMT caucus Deputy Secretary-General Alex Fai (費鴻泰) said that Taiwan Goal had been created to benefit certain arms companies.

Fai said the vice president of the French arms company DCNF was given a tour of Ching Fu Shipbuilding when he visited Taiwan last month. He said the Frenchman was not introduced to other shipbuilding firms because Ching Fu's owner, Chen Ching-nan (陳慶南), is a close associate of Chen Shui-bian and is deputy director of DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) Kaohsiung campaign headquarters.

Fai said the government had secretly selected Ching Fu Shipbuilding to cooperate with French arms companies.

Showing pictures of Chen Ching-nan wearing Hsieh's campaign vest, Kuo said Ching Fu's registration information showed arms-related products had become part of its business last November.

"Before that change, Chen Ching-nan began working as deputy director of Hsieh's Kaohsiung campaign headquarters," Kuo said.

Wu Wei-rong dismissed the allegation, saying the French arms company had requested the visit to Ching Fu Shipbuilding because the companies had cooperated in the past.
This story has been viewed 1270 times.