Deputy Minister of National Defense Liu Chen-wu (劉震武) is pleading with the US to provide more weapons for Taiwan’s defense.
“That is how we can prevent the People’s Republic of China from recklessly starting a war and further deter threats,” Liu told the 14th annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia, on Monday.
Liu asked the US to continue to observe the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances” and continue to provide defensive weapons and technical support for both hardware and software.
Photo: CNA
“In terms of hardware, please continue to provide major weapons and platforms for joint counter air, joint sea control and joint homeland defense operations, including advanced fighters and diesel-electric submarines,” he said.
While the conference was closed to the media, a copy of Liu’s speech was made available.
Sources said that senior Pentagon officials at the conference were sympathetic to Liu’s appeals, but said in private talks that weapon sales to Taiwan were a political issue and subject to White House decisionmaking.
Liu said Taiwan could play a key role in supporting regional stability and complement US strategy.
“It is our hope that the bilateral relationship can become even closer, and the two countries can jointly maintain peace in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
Liu said that China, backed by its military power and rising nationalism, continues to dispatch ships and aircraft to patrol the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) — known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, which Taiwan also claims — which was “generating great tension with Japan.”
China’s recent construction on seven South China Sea islands was transforming reefs into fortresses and islands into military bases, which pose unpredictable risks for conflict in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.
According to Liu, China was making dramatic increases to its military budget, developing new arms and carrying out “Taiwan-scenario exercises” in preparation for operations in the Taiwan Strait and to deny US intervention.
“Security threats from the People’s Republic of China also include cyberattacks and political, diplomatic, military and economic espionage,” he said.
Liu said Taiwan’s armed forces were a “strong shield” for Taipei to pursue cross-strait peace, maintain regional stability and create prosperity.
Taiwan must adopt a more self-reliant defense strategy, conduct defense technology research and build a core indigenous defense capacity, he said.
“The keys to achieve this objective are to expand scientific research capacity and to cultivate research talents,” he said.
“We hope the US and ROC [Republic of China] can enhance defense industrial cooperation and that the US can provide new high-technology for the ROC to acquire the capacity to build key equipment parts,” he added.
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