The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday that it has proposed a budget for procuring 66 F-16C/D fighter jets from the US.
Vice Minister of National Defense Kao Kuang-hsi (
The ministry's confirmation of the F-16C/D budget is believed to show its determination to push through its arms budget requests and to respond to a report in a US magazine that said Washington has decided not to sell the fighters to Taiwan for the time being.
ANNUAL REPORT
The ministry also released its annual national defense report at yesterday's press conference.
The report highlights a more aggressive presence of Chinese fighters patrolling and approaching the centerline of the Taiwan Strait.
The report said while Chinese fighters patrolling the Strait made a total of 1,200 sorties in 2000, there were a total of 1,500 sorties in 2001 and a historical high of 1,700 sorties last year.
Chinese Su-27 fighter jets equipped with AA-12 air-to-air missiles -- which have a range of 80km -- made frequent flights in the Strait last month, threatening national security, the report said.
From April to September of last year the Japanese air force intercepted more than 50 Chinese fighters attempting to intrude into Japan's air space, the report said.
In the past three years, Chinese research vessels had intruded into Taiwan's waters more than 20 times, the report said, adding that in 2003, Japan's territorial waters were entered by Chinese research vessels more than 30 times.
The research vessels are believed to be mapping the undersea geography of Taiwan and Japan's territorial waters for China's submarine force, the report said.
SPECIAL MISSILE FORCE
This year's report indicated that the military is establishing a "special missile force," the first time mention of such a force has been made in the annual reports.
Minister of National Defense Lee Jye (
"I do not want to highlight the matter," Lee said.
"Every time the development of missiles is mentioned by the media, the military comes under pressure internationally. I do not like the pressure," he said.
The military is believed to be developing 1,000km-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and 600km-range cruise missiles.
The report said China currently has 784 ballistic missiles targeted at Taiwan, and is adding missiles at an annual rate of 75 to 100.
The report said China's ballistic missiles are the biggest threat to national security.
TELEGRAM
Meanwhile, the text of a telegram passed on to the ministry from the US said that the Legislative Yuan was to blame for the long-delayed special arms procurement bill, a high-ranking official said yesterday.
Lee showed the message to Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday when he met with Wang to seek support for next year's defense budget.
An official speaking on condition of anonymity said that the US made very strongly worded comments on the delay of the arms procurement bill, which it described as difficult to understand.
The message was passed on to the ministry by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US, the official said.
Wang refused to comment when asked about the text of the message, but he did say that the delay in passage of the arms bill would impact national security.
According to the government's budget statement for the next fiscal year, defense expenditures will reach NT$311.5 billion (US$9.465 million), an increase of NT$70.9 billion (or 29.5 percent) over this year. Most of the increase is because of arms procurements.
Meanwhile, the Central News Agency reported yesterday that Defense News, a US weekly, said the US has not agreed to the F-16 deal because of the long-stalled arms procurement bill.
That package calls for the purchase of P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft and PAC-III Patriot anti-missile systems, as well as diesel-electric submarines.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Shuai Hua-min (
"As far as I know, the delay of the arms bill was just one of the reasons for the US to reconsider its arms sale. The president's [Chen Shui-bian (
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Shen Fa-hui (沈發惠) said that he didn't have any information that the stalled arms bill would influence other weapon sales.
"But if it does, that would be the price that we have to pay," Shen said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old