The US to keep supplying advanced weapons to Taiwan,US envoy says

[Afro-European]

by Staff Writers
Taipei (AFP) April 29, 2008
Washington will continue to back Taiwan militarily while it pushes for peace talks with China, the de facto US envoy here assured incoming president Ma Ying-jeou Tuesday.

Stephen Young, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said the United States would continue to supply weapons to Taipei.
"We also expect our traditional close security cooperation to continue, as we are convinced American support for Taiwan's defence gives its democratic leaders the confidence to explore closer ties with its big neighbour without fear of pressure or coercion," he said in an address to the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) here.
Taiwan has been governed separately since the end of a 1949 civil war, but Beijing has repeatedly threatened to invade should the island declare formal independence, and has targeted it with more than 1,000 ballistic missiles.
Washington has been the island's leading arms supplier, despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
But Taipei-Washington ties were frustrated by cross-strait tensions under the outgoing pro-independence government and Ma, of the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang, has vowed to improve relations.
Young also hailed the unprecedented contacts between the island and China earlier this month. "We applaud both sides of the Strait for facilitating vice president-elect Vincent Siew's recent participation in the Boao Forum, during which he held a highly symbolic meeting with People's Republic of China President Hu Jintao," Young said

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Washington_to_keep_supplying_arms_to_Taiwan_US_envoy_999.html

[Shadowstorm]

That's good. I hope they continue supplying Taiwan.

[Hispeed1]

Yes, keep supplying Taiwan with advanced weapons systems. I wish Taiwan could have many short and medium range ballistic nuclear mssiles-to provide a better deterrent to them being attacked by China. Just my .02 cents.

[FelixA9]

Yes, keep supplying Taiwan with advanced weapons systems. I wish Taiwan could have many short and medium range ballistic nuclear mssiles-to provide a better deterrent to them being attacked by China. Just my .02 cents.


Retired 688s with nuclear Tomahawks (TLAM-N) would fit the bill nicely. Of course there's the small problem of nuclear proliferation but it would get China to STFU after they finished screaming themselves hoarse.

[Hispeed1]

Retired 688s with nuclear Tomahawks (TLAM-N) would fit the bill nicely. Of course there's the small problem of nuclear proliferation but it would get China to STFU after they finished screaming themselves hoarse.

Glad to see someone see it my way. Yes, and also this would certainly start a nuclear arms race around east Asia-which we don't really want. Oh well. Taiwan had a nuclear weapons program a while ago, but they stopped it.

[Ordie]

The US will provide more weapons of a defensive nature. The strategic goal is deterrence. As long as Taiwan is the "poisoned shrimp" the PRC will continue to re-think its strategies.

The key is to keep one step ahead of the PRC's capabilities.

[Zerazax]

Taiwan wont get nukes, it withdrew the last time it tried to do it. And as Ordie said, most weapons will be defensive in nature. The question is whether Taiwan will have the money to afford a lot of this, considering they had payment issues with their last buys.

And they'll sell them advanced things but never advanced enough. After all, China is only a few hundo miles away, and technology slips are that much easier (think about the people that stole nuclear secrets and sold them to the PRC... they were originally from the ROC).

[ronaldo413]

The US will provide more weapons of a defensive nature. The strategic goal is deterrence. As long as Taiwan is the "poisoned shrimp" the PRC will continue to re-think its strategies.

The key is to keep one step ahead of the PRC's capabilities.


why usa always try to start new beef, yu think china will stay do nothing what about cuba venezuela, imagine cuba nuclear again, chavez lol nuclear

[Mordecai]

why usa always try to start new beef, yu think china will stay do nothing what about cuba venezuela, imagine cuba nuclear again, chavez lol nuclear

First, you need to work on grammer. Your post above is unbearable.

Second, read some history. We arent starting "new beef" we are continuing to uphold an agreement.

The Cuba/Venezuela comment doesnt even deserve a response.

[Ordie]

why usa always try to start new beef, yu think china will stay do nothing what about cuba venezuela, imagine cuba nuclear again, chavez lol nuclear

A nuclear Taiwan is a pre-condition for the PRC to invade.

Selling weapons to the ROC on the premise of deterrence has been consistant with US policy in the region. On the same note the US never objected to closer economic, political and social ties between the PRC and ROC.

In fact I think the US will welcome it as a means for greater stability and less chances of conflict. Therefore one less hotspot to worry about.

[Doggonit55]

China is a paper tiger. The only have 17 Il-76 strategic lift aircraft and not a single Il-78 refuelling aircraft. Their AWACS assets are also essentially non-existent with a mere 4 KJ-2000's. The state of their sealift forces is dubious. They have plenty of small transports but relatively few LST's and no amphibious assault ships, never mind aircraft carriers (not that they really need them). They would take insane losses if they tried to overrun Taiwan and they would really never do so, if not for any other reason but that Taiwanese businessmen invest so heavily in China's economy.

[Lt-Col A. Tack]

A nuclear Taiwan is a pre-condition for the PRC to invade.

Selling weapons to the ROC on the premise of deterrence has been consistant with US policy in the region. On the same note the US never objected to closer economic, political and social ties between the PRC and ROC.

In fact I think the US will welcome it as a means for greater stability and less chances of conflict. Therefore one less hotspot to worry about.

I seem to remember hearing an analyst saying something to the effect we support any solution that is agreeable to both parties.

My question is, doesn't Taiwan have a few Aegis-equipped vessels? What happens to them if they reunify with the mainland?

Christmas presents to the PRC?

[Afro-European]

[quote]China is a paper tiger. The only have 17 Il-76 strategic lift aircraft and not a single Il-78 refuelling aircraft. Their AWACS assets are also essentially non-existent with a mere 4 KJ-2000's. The state of their sealift forces is dubious. They have plenty of small transports but relatively few LST's and no amphibious assault ships, never mind aircraft carriers (not that they really need them). They would take insane losses if they tried to overrun Taiwan and they would really never do so, if not for any other reason but that Taiwanese businessmen invest so heavily in China's economy.



WASHINGTON (AFP) - CIA chief Michael Hayden charged Wednesday that China was beefing up its military with "remarkable speed and scope," calling the buildup "troubling."
The Chinese, he said, had fully absorbed the lessons of both Gulf wars, developing and integrating advanced weaponry into a modern military force.

Hayden said while Beijing's new capabilities could pose a risk to US forces and interests in the region, the military modernization was as much about projecting strength as anything else.

"After two centuries of perceived Western hegemony, China is determined to flex its muscle," he said in a speech at Kansas State University. "It sees an advanced military force as an essential element of great power status."


What you stated contradicts what general Michale Hayden stated in his speech.

[Ordie]

I seem to remember hearing an analyst saying something to the effect we support any solution that is agreeable to both parties.

My question is, doesn't Taiwan have a few Aegis-equipped vessels ?

The ROC Navy has 4 Kidd Class destroyers originally designed and built for the Imperial Iranian Navy. It has the hull of a Spruance Class Destroyer but the radar system of a Virginia Class Nuclear Cruiser. It's not Aegis, but it can cover a large area.

[jokuvaan]

They would take insane losses if they tried to overrun Taiwan China would not even try direct assault by troops, far more likely is very long sea and air siege. China can win long attrition war against Taiwan but not a blizt.

[Lt-Col A. Tack]

The ROC Navy has 4 Kidd Class destroyers originally designed and built for the Imperial Iranian Navy. It has the hull of a Spruance Class Destroyer but the radar system of a Virginia Class Nuclear Cruiser. It's not Aegis, but it can cover a large area.

Thank you, sir!

[Nano]

Keep giving the Chinese more incentives to take Taiwan back into the fold. I hope we have an in built self destruct code for all these advanced weapons that are going to fall into Chinese hands.
Taiwan is a gold mine that can't wait to be swept off its feet.

[Zerazax]

The bigger question I always say is: Do the people of Taiwan even have the will to fight against an invasion?

I mean look at the recent resounding defeat of the DPP and its pro-independence movement. That doesn't mean they're for reunification, but it certainly hurts any pro-independence movement. Then look at the fact that the country ass a whole is willing to cut spending on the military while crying about not being protected, and you have to wonder what the true motives are.

And yes, I'd be wary of deploying recent technology to an area that is already under the influence of the nearby rival. Lets put it this way: If we have a hard enough time preventing the Chinese from spying on us in our own country, then what makes us think it'll be harder for them to spy on technology in a country that's only a few hundred miles away, shares the same culture and language, and has a populace looking towards the mainland in a more favorable light, one where many of the populace were recent descendants (or were even born) on the mainland?

[Andrew Chalmers]

The bigger question I always say is: Do the people of Taiwan even have the will to fight against an invasion?

I mean look at the recent resounding defeat of the DPP and its pro-independence movement. That doesn't mean they're for reunification, but it certainly hurts any pro-independence movement.

The KMT, which western media constantly refers to as "pro-China", was the authoritarian regime in power until 2000. The KMT-controlled ROC had more than its share of military conflicts with the PRC.

The question of whether people on Taiwan have the will to fight against an invasion is a stupid academic question. The will to fight in any modern democratic society where information is not controlled by the government depends on the particular circumstances a conflict started, what the civilian population believes will occur at its resolution, etc... Who's really in a position to say what will happen?

There are just some folks, like Nano above, who constantly jump into any thread about Taiwan claiming that Taiwan is a goldmine for the the PRC because of its military technology & that Taiwan can't wait to be "unified" as part of the PRC. But then again... how many times have they actually been in Taiwan? or the PRC? Or surveyed the ROC's military culture?

[rodin_hsu]

The bigger question I always say is: Do the people of Taiwan even have the will to fight against an invasion?

If it is truly an "invasion", certainly yes. If it is a sort of "provoked war", I don't know. Actually, I believe when the war comes, you got no choice. It doesn't matter you like it or not.


I mean look at the recent resounding defeat of the DPP and its pro-independence movement. That doesn't mean they're for reunification, but it certainly hurts any pro-independence movement. Then look at the fact that the country ass a whole is willing to cut spending on the military while crying about not being protected, and you have to wonder what the true motives are.

The recent defeat of DPP is pretty much due to their corruption and their immature administration. It doesn't imply the people of Taiwan are leaning to PRC at all. Actually, it is happening in the opposite way, and that is one of the reasons PRC stepping up their military preparation. Some officer in US department of state might tell you how DPP has been unpredictable and been a trouble maker. That is very irresponsible as a government.


And yes, I'd be wary of deploying recent technology to an area that is already under the influence of the nearby rival. Lets put it this way: If we have a hard enough time preventing the Chinese from spying on us in our own country, then what makes us think it'll be harder for them to spy on technology in a country that's only a few hundred miles away, shares the same culture and language, and has a populace looking towards the mainland in a more favorable light, one where many of the populace were recent descendants (or were even born) on the mainland?

That's kind of true. So, don't sell us those fancy weapons. Test those techs in other places. After all, we don't like to play a bloody show for some TV eagle audience.

[V.I.D.]

First, you need to work on grammer. Your post above is unbearable.

Second, read some history. We arent starting "new beef" we are continuing to uphold an agreement.

The Cuba/Venezuela comment doesnt even deserve a response.
__________________________________________________________________

This was supposed to be a joke, right? "Grammer", no commas, etc. Perhaps you should start taking some lessons yourself.

[seathru]

There is the possibility that a general election will be held in China, in the not too distant future. KMT and DPP will be invited to compete with the communist party, and whoever wins will form the new government for China, not just Taiwan. In fact, the communist can do this before the Olympic ends, and win the election! In essence, uniting with Taiwan peacefully is not that far-fetched!

[rodin_hsu]

There is the possibility that a general election will be held in China, in the not too distant future.
yeah right, how about hold a general election in Hong Kong this year?


KMT and DPP will be invited to compete with the communist party, and whoever wins will form the new government for China, not just Taiwan. In fact, the communist can do this before the Olympic ends, and win the election! In essence, uniting with Taiwan peacefully is not that far-fetched!
How about kiss my ass both sides slowly? I can promise you, it's not that far to fetch.

Don't insult my post again, or I will kick your ass by myself.

[seathru]

yeah right, how about hold a general election in Hong Kong this year?
Well, it should be done sooner rather later. The only thing that holds back the election is the sclerosis of the communist party, nothing else.


How about kiss my ass both sides slowly? I can promise you, it's not that far to fetch.

Don't insult my post again, or I will kick your ass by myself.I am new to this forum. But I have to admit that I am already beginning to like your post! Your style is splendid, and your logic is impeccable!

[forder]

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Washington_to_keep_supplying_arms_to_Taiwan_US_envoy_999.html


The US to keep supplying advanced weapons to Taiwan,however,very expensive.:)