Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) in a speech at the Washington-based Brookings Institution on Monday emphasized Taiwan’s need for enhanced defense capabilities, while adding that the party has always been pro-US.
“If you want peace, you have to prepare for war. Self-defense is No. 1 for peace and stability,” Chu said.
He offered three defense priorities for a future KMT administration: boosting asymmetric combat capabilities, arms purchases for emergency responses and raising the reserve mobilization mechanism to the Cabinet level.
Photo: CNA
It is wrong to label the KMT as being pro-China, as it has always been pro-US, he said, adding that the KMT is dedicated to defending Taiwan and to talking to China.
Taiwan could help the West better understand China and be a model for its neighbor, Chu said.
“Taiwan can have democracy; why not China some day?” he said. “We have to wait for this to happen, but we need Taiwan as a model.”
Asked by reporters about the so-called “1992 consensus,” Chu said it is a “non-consensus consensus.”
He also drew from KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia’s (夏立言) comment that if all things must be clarified, non-political cross-strait interaction would suffer.
Chu’s comments were a practical response to Washington’s concerns about Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities, National Policy Foundation associate research fellow Chieh Chung (揭仲) said.
Chu’s speech was direct, which is an excellent beginning for restarting dialogue between the KMT and Washington on national defense affairs, the stated purpose of his visit, Chieh said yesterday.
Some of Chu’s views are a departure from those held by the Democratic Progressive Party, which, if pursued, could help set the tone for potential meetings between the KMT and Washington on defense issues, Chieh said.
Chu told the think tank that the KMT’s stance on 2027 and the increased risk of a military confrontation is to “prepare for combat and strive to avoid war,” Chieh said, adding that Chu dismissed certain KMT stereotypes, while clarifying that it would prioritize asymmetrical warfare capabilities upon a return to power.
Mentioning 2030, Chu showed that the KMT is aware of the potential threat of 2027, while being aware that a Chinese landing could evolve into a new threat beyond 2027, Chieh said.
Chu’s view is more prescient than some Washington analysts who overemphasize the need for certain weapons systems, Chieh said, adding that Chu’s view is becoming the sovereign national defense policy of the Republic of China.
Additional reporting by Shih Hsiao-kuang
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS