President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen's warning came one day after Chinese President Hu Jintao (
The transfer has led some people in this country to express the hope that Hu -- regarded as a moderate in comparison to his predecessors -- might take a less hard-line approach toward Taiwan.
"National security is in our own hands," Chen said while meeting model military personnel at the Presidential Office yesterday.
"We should never engage in wishful thinking, expect the enemy's goodwill or assistance from outsiders," he said.
"Although Jiang Zemin has resigned his position as military chief commander, we can never to harbor fantasies or have unrealistic expectations," Chen said.
"Only by constructing a firm and substantial defense can we prevent the enemy's sneaky attempts to attack us," the president said. "Only by deepening our feeling of unity can we consolidate our democracy, constitutional order and economic prosperity."
Chen warmed that China has a three-pronged strategy to destabilize Taiwan -- psychological warfare, use of the media and using its legal system to enact an unification law that would define Taiwan as a "special political region" under its jurisdiction.
During Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's (
"In view of the seriousness of Communist China's attempts to legalize its military forces against Taiwan, all military personnel and our compatriots should remain vigilant and alert," Chen said.
``Fearing war won't avoid or stop a war. The best way to avoid a war is to be prepared for a war,'' he said.
The nation needs to build up the military and buy arms, Chen said, not to have an arm race with China but in order to be prepared, to strengthen its security and protect its democratic achievements.
Meanwhile in Beijing, Jiang yesterday urged his successors to continue his policy of using military threat to persuade Taiwan to accept unification with China, state television said.
"Resolutely do not make a commitment to give up the use of force," Jiang was quoted as saying in a speech to Hu and others at the first meeting of the expanded 11-member Military Commission.
"This is a major political principle," he said. "Reunification is the big cause of the country."
Also See Stories:
Jiang's retirement surprises Taiwan, US
Government to hold course on China policy, analysts say
Hu unlikely to ease up on Taiwan and HK: analysts
Completion of power transfer could help Hu Jintao set his own agenda
Editorial: No thaw likely until spring
GEARING UP: An invasion would be difficult and would strain China’s forces, but it has conducted large-scale training supporting an invasion scenario, the report said China increased its military pressure on Taiwan last year and took other steps in preparation for a potential invasion, an annual report published by the US Department of Defense on Wednesday showed. “Throughout 2023, Beijing continued to erode longstanding norms in and around Taiwan by employing a range of pressure tactics against Taiwan,” the report said, which is titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China (PRC) 2024.” The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) “is preparing for a contingency to unify Taiwan with the PRC by force, if perceived as necessary by Beijing, while simultaneously deterring, delaying or denying
‘ONE BRIDGE’: The US president-elect met with Akie Abe on Dec. 15 in Florida and the two discussed a potential Taiwan-China conflict’s implications for world peace US president-elect Donald Trump has described Taiwan as “a major issue for world peace” during a meeting with Akie Abe, the widow of late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Japanese newspaper the Yomiuri Shimbun quoted sources as saying in a report yesterday. Trump met with Akie Abe on Dec. 15 at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where the two discussed the Russo-Ukrainian war and the situation in the Taiwan Strait. During the meeting, Trump spoke on the implications for world peace of a potential Taiwan-China conflict, which “indicated his administration’s stance of placing importance on dealing with the situation in
QUICK LOOK: The amendments include stricter recall requirements and Constitutional Court procedures, as well as a big increase in local governments’ budgets Portions of controversial amendments to tighten requirements for recalling officials and Constitutional Court procedures were passed by opposition lawmakers yesterday following clashes between lawmakers in the morning, as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members tried to block Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators from entering the chamber. Parts of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) and Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) passed the third reading yesterday. The legislature was still voting on various amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法) as of press time last night, after the session was extended to midnight. Amendments to Article 4
ALLIANCE: Washington continues to implement its policy of normalizing arms sales to Taiwan and helps enhance its defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said US President Joe Biden on Friday agreed to provide US$571.3 million in defense support for Taiwan, the White House said, while the US State Department approved the potential sale of US$265 million in military equipment. Biden had delegated to the secretary of state the authority “to direct the drawdown of up to US$571.3 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan,” the White House said in a statement. However, it did not provide specific details about this latest package, which was the third of its kind to
RSS