The Ministry of National Defense yesterday refused to comment on media reports that a US military delegation is in Taipei to discuss issues regarding Taiwan's missile defense system and arms procurement plans.
According to the reports, Mary Tighe, a senior US Pentagon official, arrived in Taipei last weekend at the head of a military delegation to review Taiwan's missile defense capabilities.
Asked about his views on the reports at a regular news conference, ministry spokesman Major General Huang Suey-sheng (
Huang instead said Taiwan's military exchanges with the US are carried out in line with the Taiwan Relations Act -- the US law that regulates exchanges with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties -- and the "Six Assurances" the US government offered to Taiwan in 1982, including a continued supply of defensive weapons to Taiwan.
"All Taiwan-US military exchanges are proceeding smoothly at the moment," Huang said, adding that he would not comment on any specific bilateral military exchange or cooperative program.
According to media reports, the US delegation will urge Taiwan to establish an effective missile shield as soon as possible, including the procurement of the US-developed Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) anti-missile system and early warning radar systems.
Speaking at a Taiwan-US defense industry meeting that was held in San Antonio, Texas in February, Randall Schriver, the US deputy assistant secretary of state, urged Taiwan to take the steps needed to acquire defensive weapons and systems sufficient to address the ever-increasing threat posed by Beijing.
Recent foreign wire service reports also quoted US military sources as saying that the purchase of PAC-3 anti-missile systems should be a top priority for Taiwan to meet the threat from the 650 or so ballistic missiles it is estimated that Beijing will have targeted at Taiwan by 2005.
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