Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu (
Addressing a seminar on cross-strait relations, Wu said the government's policy toward China has never veered from the framework outlined in President Chen Shui-bian's (
"I'm not fully aware of Lu's `quasi-war' definition. But one thing that is certain is that any explanations of the nation's cross-strait policy should not go beyond the basic guidelines and spirit set in Chen's second inaugural address," Wu said.
Chen said in the speech that his administration's top goal is to set up a framework of peace and stability for cross-strait relations and that the nation is fully prepared to reopen dialogue with China, Wu said.
Touching on China's ongoing military exercises on Dongshan Island, Wu said such drills are routine activities.
"Training exercises or simulated war games are normal military activities. We need not become anxious whenever China conducts military maneuvers," Wu said.
Nevertheless, Wu acknowledged that the nation faces an ever-increasing military threat because Beijing has continued to increase its military budgets and has stepped up its military build-up.
At the moment, Wu said, China's annual military budget is three times this country's. Against this backdrop, Wu said, Taiwan must take steps to prevent the cross-strait military balance from tilting in favor of China.
Wu urged the public to support a special arms procurement budget bill now awaiting legislative approval.
"The NT$610 billion (US$18 billion) budget plan is part of our efforts to beef up our defenses and prevent a possible cross-strait war due to a serious imbalance in military strength between the two sides of the strait," Wu said.
The Cabinet approved the special budget bill in June to buy six Patriot PAC-III anti-missile batteries, eight diesel-fueled submarines and a squadron of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft from the US.
The package is awaiting legislative consideration.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
COLD FACTS: ‘Snow skin’ mooncakes, made with a glutinous rice skin and kept at a low temperature, have relatively few calories compared with other mooncakes Traditional mooncakes are a typical treat for many Taiwanese in the lead-up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, but a Taipei-based dietitian has urged people not to eat more than one per day and not to have them every day due to their high fat and calorie content. As mooncakes contain a lot of oil and sugar, they can have negative health effects on older people and those with diabetes, said Lai Yu-han (賴俞含), a dietitian at Taipei Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. “The maximum you can have is one mooncake a day, and do not eat them every day,” Lai
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