Thu, Jul 21, 2005 page3

• Parties spar over Pentagon report

  WAR OF WORDS The DPP used the report to attack the pan-blue camp parties for blocking the special arms-purchase budget, with the KMT responding that the fault lies with the government, while the PFP actually defended China's missile build-up

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  A US report on China's military power provoked a new war of words between the nation's ruling and opposition parties yesterday, with the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) legislative caucus accusing the major opposition parties of "not telling friend from foe" by blocking the special arms budget at the legislature.

  Lai Ching-te (賴清德), secretary-general of the DPP caucus, said the two opposition parties, which have blocked the bill in the Procedure Committee, are harboring illusions about China.

  Lai called on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP), to realize who Taiwan's real enemy is, and not to drive Taiwan toward an abyss.

  Quoting the annual Pentagon report -- which warns that China's modernizing military could pose a threat to the region -- Lai said the US has taken actions to counter China's growing military might, such as urging the EU not to lift the arms embargo against China, listing the Taiwan Strait as part of the "common strategic objective" in its defense pact with Japan, and re-launching nuclear technology cooperation with India.

  His KMT counterpart, Chen Chieh (陳杰), said it is not surprising for the US to interpret the cross-strait military imbalance this way because it is pushing to sell its weapons to Taiwan.

  What is important for cross-strait relations is for the leadership on both sides to work for peace, to cooperate in developing their economies and to avoid an arms race, Chen said.

  "Only in this way can a win-win situation be created for the people on both sides of the Strait," he added.

  He called on the ruling party and the government not to shift the responsibility to others for failing to pass the arms purchase bill.

  "The KMT is not against buying new weapons. As long as the DPP government is willing to use the regular annual budget for that purpose, and not to leave the debt to our children and grandchildren, then we can discuss it," he said, adding that the DPP is to blame for the legislative deadlock, and not anyone else.

  Chen also blamed the nation's shrinking defense budget on the DPP government.

  Since the government gained power in 2000, Taiwan's economy has not done well and government revenue has been shrinking, forcing it to lower the defense budget, he said.

  Lin Yu-fang (林郁芳), a PFP lawmaker and a convener of the legislature's defense committee, said the US report made it clear that China is deploying missiles across the Strait in order to prevent Taiwan from declaring independence.

  By publishing that point of view, the US government is "speaking for China," he said, implying the two giants have a common interest in stopping Taiwan from declaring formal independence.

  "China deploying those missiles against Taiwan does not mean it will fire them at Taiwan," Lin said.

  However, he noted that the missiles are China's best deterrent.

  If Taiwan does proclaim independence, they could create a "psychological impact" more effective than anything else, he said.

  Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense is studying the Pentagon report, according to military spokesman Liu Chih-jian (劉志堅) said yesterday.

  Commenting on the report, Liu said that the major challenges to Taiwan's deterrence capabilities are: China's military build-up tipping the balance against Taiwan; Taiwan's declining military budget; and the special arms procurement bill remaining blocked in the opposition-dominated legislature.

  The report contends that China's military build-up is growing at a pace that is tipping the military balance against Taiwan, and that Taiwan has failed to keep pace.

  On the other side of the Strait, China's foreign minister dismissed the report, and said his nation's rise would be peaceful.

  "China, remember, will continue to pursue a path of peaceful development," Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (李肇星) said at a signing ceremony to establish the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Beijing.

  "China not only poses no threat to anyone, we also are willing to establish friendship and all kinds of win-win cooperation with other countries to push forward cooperative development," Li said in response to a question about the Pentagon report.

  Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (楊潔箎) said in a statement: "The report unreasonably attacks the modernization of Chinese national defense and rudely castigates China's normal national defense constructions and military deployment."

  "The report overlooks facts, endeavors to spread the `China threat theory,' rudely interferes with China's internal affairs and foments discord between China and other countries," the statement said.
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