Both the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday welcomed the US’ announcement on arms sales to Taiwan.
“The US is Taiwan’s important security partner, and the [latest] arms sale is the fulfillment of the US’ promises in the Taiwan Relations Act and its Six Assurances,” DPP Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said.
“[The announcement] is helpful to national security, as well as peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region. The DPP welcomes and supports it,” Wu said.
DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said she did not think the arms sale is politically motivated and it would not have an impact on the upcoming elections.
“I believe that the arms sale decision was made based on objective factors, such as Taiwan’s self-defense needs, with little domestic political consideration,” Tsai said.
“In our previous exchanges with the US, arms sales have been based on Taiwan’s self-defense needs and have been unrelated to domestic politics elections, or party divisions,” she said.
KMT Chairman and presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) also applauded the latest US arms sales as a major achievement in US-Taiwan relations.
“We support efforts to help Taiwan maintain a certain level of defense capability. I believe the sales are conducive to furthering the nation’s national defense as well as its ties with Washington,” Chu said.
The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) plans to increase the national defense budget if elected, and Chu said that the government should allocate a budget that can adequately maintain national defense capabilities and that it should hinge on cross-strait and international circumstances.
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