Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) said yesterday that goodwill gestures by China do not mean lasting peace across the Taiwan Strait and that Taiwan’s defense buildup would have to continue as scheduled.
“Defense buildup is still necessary, because it is the basic [action we must take] to brace for possible wars,” Chen said.
Chen made the remarks at a legislative committee meeting after Democratic Progressive Party legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) expressed concern that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung’s (吳伯雄) recent comments after returning from a visit to China could undermine the morale of Taiwan’s military.
Wu, who after returning from his historic meeting with Chinese Communist Party Secretary-General and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) on May 28, told President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Saturday he “felt” that China greatly appreciated Taiwan’s outpouring of sympathy and donations for victims of the Sichuan earthquake.
He also said that China was unlikely to launch missiles at Taiwan.
Tsai asked Chen to condemn Wu for his comments, saying such remarks could lead Taiwan’s military and civilians to lower their guard.
But Chen argued that Taiwan is a pluralistic society and refused to comment on Wu’s remarks, saying only that the military would remain strictly neutral.
Chen said that if Beijing agreed not to launch missiles, the military would see that as a goodwill gesture and would welcome it, but would not take it to mean lasting peace.
Asked by KMT Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崑萁) how Taiwan would respond if Beijing withdrew its more than 1,000 missiles deployed on its coastal provinces aimed at Taiwan, Chen said “the ministry would make adjustments on military procurement and research and development based on the actual situation.”
China has been stepping up the number of missiles aimed at Taiwan over the years and has threatened to use military force if Taiwan seeks to declare formal independence.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
RSS