Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Without birds, arms sales is theater

Taipei Times Editorial

If anyone had doubts about Taiwan’s ability to defend itself, a report released by the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently is sure to turn those into nightmares.

The agency’s assessment painted a bleak portrait of Taiwan’s Air Force, with quasi-obsolete Mirage 2000s and F-5s likely to be mothballed, while the aging fleet of F-16s and Indigenous Defense Fighters are in dire need of refurbishing. In fact, even if those models were upgraded, their limited capabilities put into question Taiwan’s ability to achieve air superiority against the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), which in recent years has rapidly transformed and modernized — thanks largely to sales and technology transfers from Russia.

Ma bears responsibility for Taiwan's security

Taiwan News Editorial

Controversial National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi clearly aimed to defuse an inevitable political storm by resigning two days before the annual lunar new year holiday, but this act cannot cover up either Su's own incompetence or President Ma Ying-jeou's political responsibility for the damage caused to Taiwan's security during the first 20 months of his term.

Former Taiwan representative to Singapore Hu Wei-jen, the son of the late ultraconservative Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) general Hu Tsung-jen, will take over as Ma's national security advisor tomorrow.

Beijing’s ‘arrogance’ has US on defensive

Richard Halloran

For several years, China has repeatedly accused the US of “arrogance.” Now some Americans have taken to asserting the same about China.

There is a difference, however. Chinese allegations are publicly orchestrated via spokesmen for the government, the Chinese Communist Party, the People’s Liberation Army and government-controlled press and television news. Withering Chinese criticism has been aimed at US President Barack Obama’s meeting last week with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, at the White House.

Justifying US arms sales to Taiwan

Parris Chang 張旭成

As expected, Beijing has lodged strong protests against the arms sale to Taiwan announced by the administration of US President Barack Obama last month.

The Chinese government expressed “strong indignation,” accusing the US of violating the so-called “one China” principle, the three Sino-US communiques, infringing upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and undermining China’s efforts at peaceful unification with Taiwan, among other things. Moreover, Beijing has suspended military exchanges with the US and has said it will impose sanctions on the US firms involved in the sale.

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