Missile Buildup and Defense

Defense Minister’s Visit to the U.S.

EU Arms Embargo

~ 2000 ; 2001 ; 2002 ; 2003 ; 2004 ; 2005

[News] [Papers]

Weapons Package Key to Taiwan-U.S. Ties, MOFA Claims
(CNA, Dec. 28, 2005) The arms procurement package pending in the Legislative Yuan is a decisive factor in future Taiwan-U.S. relations, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen said yesterday.

Taipei Rejects Arms Budget for 42nd Time
(Reuters, Dec. 24, 20050 Taiwan's Defence Ministry has offered to trim a special budget for US military hardware yet again - from NT$340 billion to NT$299 billion - as opposition lawmakers yesterday blocked the Bill for the 42nd time.

Ma and Soong Agree on Stalled Arms Package
(China Post, Dec. 23, 2005) The two opposition party chairmen said Taiwan should not buy over-priced weapons and equipment. At the same time, Taiwan should make clear to the United States it is determined to defend itself against attacks from China.

KMT to Scrutinize Any New Arms Plan
(Taipei Times, Dec. 19, 2005) KMT legislators said a decision to purchase the weapons would hinge on a number of factors, and that they wouldn't just `passively' accept a new proposal.

Taiwan Leader Urges Support for Controversial Arms Package
(AFP, Dec. 17, 2005) Taiwan's president Chen Shui-bian has renewed his call for the opposition to support a controversial arms deal with the United States, as the island's navy inaugurated two US-built Kidd-class destroyers.

Taiwan Plans to Build Airfield on Disputed S. China Sea Island
(Asia Pulse, Dec 16, 2005) Vice Minister of National Defense Huo Shou-yeh confirmed Thursday that the Taiwan government will build an airfield on one of the biggest islets of the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Taiwan Set For Delivery Of Two US-Built Kidd-Class Destroyers
(AFP, Dec. 7, 2005) The first two of four Kidd-class destroyers sold to Taiwan by the United States are due to arrive at the weekend, bolstering the navy's defense capabilities against rival China.

Upgrade Defense Abilities: Japanese Expert
(Taipei Times, Nov. 6, 2005) The passage of the special arms procurement budget is crucial for raising the nation's defense capabilities and ensuring smooth cooperation with the US and Japan in a Taiwan Strait crisis, a Japanese strategic expert said.

US Approves $280 mln Missile Sale to Taiwan
(Reuters, Oct. 27, 2005) The U.S. Defense Department notified Congress that it had approved the sale to Taiwan of 10 AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles and 5 AIM-7M Sparrow missiles.

MND Says U.S. 'Impatient' Story Untrue
(Taiwan News, Oct. 25, 2005) Sources reported after 33 legislative rejections of the arms procurement package, the United States is planning to adjust the contents of its foreign military sale to Taiwan, yet National Defense Deputy Minister Huoh Shoou-yeh denied such rumors.

Ex-President Says Taiwan Needs Missiles
(WP, Oct. 19, 2005) Taiwan's former president, Lee Teng-hui, said that a growing military imbalance with China has made it increasingly necessary for the island to acquire "some kind of long-range missiles" that would give it an offensive capability.

US Official Urges Switch to 'Defense'
(Associated Press, Oct. 16, 2005) Admiral William Fallon, head of the US Pacific Command, said that the nation could best protect itself by investing more in mines and other defensive weapons, not offensive ones.

Taiwan to Launch $394m 'Spy Satellite'
(AFP, Oct. 10, 2005) Taiwan plans to launch a spy satellite costing $US300 million as a result of China's continued hostility towards the island, a newspaper reported.

Taiwan President Pledges to Boost Island's Defenses
(AP, Oct. 10, 2005) In a national day speech, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian accused China of refusing to pursue democracy and peace, and pledged to strengthen the island's defenses against its historic rival.

KMT's Arms Stance Not Viewed on Future Presidency: Ma
(China Post, Oct. 9, 2005) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou of the opposition Kuomintang said that his party supports "reasonable" arms procurements and will not consider the issue from the point of view of a possible future ruling party.

U.S. Urges Taiwan Not to Buy Offensive Weapons
(Washington Times, Oct. 8, 2005) Senior officers of the U.S. Pacific Command have quietly urged military leaders of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to forgo purchases of some high-tech weapons with offensive capabilities.

Taiwan President Offers to Brief MPs on Arms Deal
(Reuters, Oct. 6, 2005) Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, under pressure from Washington to pass an arms package blocked by opposition lawmakers, offered to deliver a report in parliament to seek support for the $11 billion special budget.

KMT Says Its Stance on Arms Deal Unchanged
(Taiwan News, Oct. 4, 2005) The opposition Kuomintang party denied a newspaper report that it planned to "conditionally" refer the Executive Yuan's budget bill of the U.S. arms purchase to the Legislative Defense Committee for review after the December 3 three-in-one election.

KMT, DPP Debate Tsai's Logic on 2004 Referendum
(CNA, Sep. 30, 20050 Both ruling and opposition lawmakers challenged Vice Minister of National Defense Tsai Ming-hsien's argument that the government can still propose a budget for buying anti-missile equipment.

Arms Bill Has to Pass Eventually, President Says
(CNA, Sep. 29, 2005) President Chen Shui-bian said that a long-stalled arms procurement package has to be passed in the end, and opposition leaders and the United States know this "clearly."

Pan-Blue Lawmakers Rule Out Buying Patriot Missiles
(Taipei Times, Sep. 27, 2005) Pan-blue legislators said they will not approve the bill for the purchase of Patriot missile batteries because the referendum held last year in tandem with the presidential poll was a public "veto" of the purchase.

Submarines to Carry New Missiles, Jane's Reports
(AFP, Sep. 26, 2005) Taiwan plans to equip its two Dutch-built submarines with Harpoon anti-ship missiles that could be used to attack key Chinese naval bases, Jane's Defense Weekly said.

Cost of Joint Japan-U.S. Interceptor System Triples
(Yomiuri Shimbun, Sep. 25, 20050 The U.S. government has told the Japanese government that the estimated cost of the two countries' joint development of a next-generation missile interceptor system would be about 3 billion dollars (321 billion yen)--nearly triple the initial estimate.

Thousands March to Support Taiwan Arms Deal with the US
(Reuters, Sep. 26, 20050 Thousands of Taiwan people, mostly from pro-independence groups, marched through the streets of Taipei to back a special arms budget blocked by opposition parties.

MND Chief 'Not Threatened' by U.S. Warning
(China Post, Sep. 24, 2005) Defense Minister Lee Jye said he did not feel threatened by a warning issued by a Pentagon official who said the United States would not defend Taiwan if the island refused to raise its defense budget.

Pan-Blues Criticize US Warning
(Taipei Times, Sep. 22, 2005) KMT legislators suggested that the US did not understand Taiwan's situation and was in no place to urge passage of the US arms package.

U.S.-Taiwan Defense Conference Opens
(CNA, Sep. 21, 2005) The fourth U.S.-Taiwan national defense industry conference opened in San Diegoy, with more than 100 representatives from the United States and Taiwan attending.

Reducing Budget for Repair of Arms a Concern, Says PFP
(CNA, Sep. 20, 2005) An opposition People First Party lawmaker questioned the government's policy of spending less money on the maintenance of military equipment as "this policy will place military personnel in an unsafe environment."

Opposition Rejects Call to Pass Arms Budget
(China Post, Sep. 19, 2005) President Chen Shui-bian urged opposition lawmakers to support a billion-dollar special budget for purchasing U.S. weaponry -- but the opposition rejected his calls.

Chinese Sub Sighted in June: MND
(Taipei Times, Sep. 18, 2005) The defense ministry confirmed that a Chinese nuclear sub had surfaced near five navy vessels, but denied that alert levels had been raised.

US Losing Patience as Taiwan Dithers Over Weapons Deal
(Straits Times, Sep. 17, 2005) The United States is increasingly frustrated with Taiwan's reluctance to approve the purchase of an American weapons package to bolster the island's defenses.

US Officials Urge Taiwan to Increase Defense Budget
(CNA, Sep 14, 2005) The US has suggested that Taiwan raise its defense budget to 3.5 percent of its GDP to prevent the cross-strait military balance from tilting further in favor of China, a Japanese economic daily reported.

Ma, Soong Agree to Oppose Special Weapons Budget
(China Post, Sep. 8, 2005) The leaders of the two main opposition parties agreed yesterday to jointly oppose a NT$340 billion special arms budget proposed by the government.

Arms Package Fails to Make It onto Agenda
(Taiwan News, Sep. 7, 2005) The military procurement package and nominations for Control Yuan members failed to make it onto the legislative agenda for next week after opposition parties declined to support them.

EU Says Lifting of China Arms Embargo on Long-Term Agenda
(AFX, Sep. 6, 2005) Europe's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the European Union's arms embargo on China will be lifted eventually, but gave no timetable.

China Warns US Help to Taiwan on Missile Defense Will Erode Trust (AFP, Sep. 1, 2005) China has warned any help given to Taiwan to protect itself against a missile threat would erode trust and undermine regional peace and stability.

Changes in Defense Budget Seen as 'A Grueling Decision'
(Taiwan News, Aug. 31, 2005) Minister of National Defense Lee Jye said it has been a "grueling" experience for him to decide to use the regular budget to purchase badly needed Patriot III anti-missile batteries.

Taiwan Trims Arms Budget in Bid to Get Bill Passed
(Reuters, Aug. 30, 2005) Taiwan will trim a proposed special arms budget, aimed at fending off rival China, to US$11 billion from US$15 billion, in a bid to push the bill through an opposition-dominated parliament, the government said.

US Denies Talks Have Been Cancelled
(TT, Aug. 28, 2005) Next month's planned high-level military talks between the US and Taiwan have not been cancelled, but have been postponed to enable high-level US defense officials to attend the talks, Pentagon sources say.

US Cancels Defense Meet with Taiwan
Taipei Times, Aug. 26, 2005) Seeking to placate Beijing ahead of next month's visit to the US by Chinese President Hu Jintao, the Bush administration has canceled high-level annual defense talks with Taiwan.

Taiwan to Trim Arms Budget for Approval
(Reuters, Aug. 25, 2005) Taiwan will further trim a proposed US$15 billion arms budget to push through the deal in the opposition-dominated parliament, the defense ministry said.

China and Russia Conduct Naval Blockade
(AFP, Aug. 24, 2005) Chinese destroyers, submarines and fighter planes coordinated with a Russian missile destroyer and anti-submarine vessels in ongoing war games simulating a naval blockade.

Taiwan in Talks with US Firms on Military Copter Deals – Report (AFX, Aug. 22, 2005) Taiwan is in talks with US companies to purchase dozens of attack and transport helicopters and upgrade the AH-1W Super Cobra attack fleet serving the army, Jane's defense weekly said.

China, Russia Begin First Joint Military Exercises
(Bloomberg, Aug. 18, 20050 China and Russia started their first joint military exercise, with army, naval and air force units performing maneuvers in the Russian Far East and China's northern coastal Shandong province.

Taiwan’s Troops Hold 'Chinese-Invasion' Drill
(AFP, Aug. 18, 2005) On the eve of joint exercises by Beijing and Moscow, Taiwan's military staged an exercise simulating a Chinese invasion.

Parris Chang Says the US, Japan Will Defend Taiwan
(CNA, Aug 14, 2005) Citing a joint statement issued by the US and Japan on Feb. 19, Chang claimed this is a promise to defend Taiwan from an attack by China.

Defense Ministry Rejects Missile Deployment Story
(CNA Aug. 13, 2005) The Ministry of National Defense referred to a media report claiming that locally-built cruise missiles have secretly begun to be deployed on the island as a "sheer fabrication"

Taiwan Begins Deployment of Cruise Missiles
(AFP, Aug. 12, 2005) Taiwan has begun deploying home-made cruise missiles on mobile launchers and that they are capable of hitting major military targets in southeast China, a newspaper here reported.

US Military Delegation Holds Talks
(Taipei Times, Aug. 12, 2005) A delegation of US military officials is in Taipei and has held joint talks with senior Taiwanese military officials. The talks are part of a series of high-level security discussions that Taiwan regularly has with the US.

Ma Says He Is Not Against Arms Deal
(CNA, Aug. 7, 2005) KMT Chairman-elect Ma Ying-jeou said that he will not oppose the arms procurement package simply because it is listed under a special budget.

Chen's Tripartite Call Against China
(Straits Times, Aug. 5, 2005) Taiwan, Japan and the US must cooperate militarily against China to prevent the Taiwan Strait from becoming a 'Chinese sea lane' and thus closed off to Japanese ships, Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has said.

Taiwan Stages Military Drill Simulating Chinese Blockade
(AFP, Aug. 4, 2005) Taiwan has held a military drill simulating a naval blockade of two southern harbors, officials said. In the exercise off a major naval base in southern Tsoying city, US-built and French-built warships mobilized along with F-16 jet fighters.

Opposition Pans U.S. Scholar over Arms Purchase Comments (Taiwan News, July 31, 2005) Opposition lawmakers dismissed criticism by a U.S. scholar who recently argued that the White House and the U.S. Congress should cut ties with what he called pro-China opposition parties if they persisted in blocking the arms package.

Military Exercises Aimed at Deterring Chinese Invasion Judged as Successful (Reuters, July 28, 2005) Taiwan staged military exercises yesterday aimed at repelling a Chinese invasion, a week after the United States said China's military modernization drive had tilted the balance in Beijing's favor.

Beijing's Missiles Can Even Reach New Zealand: Chen
(China Post, July 27, 2005) President Chen Shui-bian warned that arch-rival China's growing missile build-up not only posed a threat to the democratic island, but also endangered the world.

Taiwan's Chen Urges Opposition to Back Arms Deal
(Reuters, July 25, 20050 Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian vented his frustration at opposition parties over a stalled $15 billion arms budget, calling on them to support a special parliament session to push through the deal.

China Distances Itself from Nuclear Weapons Threat against United States
(AFP, July 22, 2005) China has distanced itself from reported comments by a general last week that Beijing could use nuclear weapons to retaliate against the United States if it attacked over Taiwan.

Taiwan Hails US Report on China's Military Might
(AFP, July 21, 2005) Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has hailed a US Pentagon report on China's military build-up that Beijing protested as interference in its internal affairs.

US Says China Not a Threat Despite Military Concerns
(AFP, July 21, 2005) The United States does not consider China a threat, the White House said after China protested about a Defense Department report which expressed concern about its military buildup.

Calling In Envoy, Beijing Assails Pentagon Report
(NYT, July 21, 2005) China's Foreign Ministry called in a senior American diplomat in Beijing to denounce a Pentagon report on China's military strength.

U.S. Rebukes Chinese General for His Threat of Nuclear Arms Use (NYT, July 16, 2005) A Chinese general who said his country would use nuclear weapons against the United States if the American military intervened in any conflict with Taiwan drew a sharp rebuke from the Bush administration.

China, Firm on Taiwan, Says General's Words His Own
(Reuters, July 16, 2005) Remarks by a Chinese general that Beijing could use nuclear arms against the United States in a war over Taiwan were his personal views, but China will never allow Taiwan to be independent, China's Foreign Ministry said.

Chinese General Threatens Use of A-Bombs if U.S. Intrudes
(New York Times, July 15, 2005) China should use nuclear weapons against the United States if the American military intervenes in any conflict over Taiwan, a senior Chinese military official said.

DPP to Blame for Arms Delay: Lien
(China Post, July 12, 2005) Kuomintang leader Lien Chan told former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state Randall Schriver that it was the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's fault that parliament had not passed a billion-dollar arms deal.

Taiwan Carries Out Military Maneuvers
(AP, July 7, 2005) Taiwanese troops on Thursday carried out a major military exercise aimed at fending off an invasion from China, four months after Beijing passed a law threatening force if Taiwan moves toward independence.

Taiwan Needs More Arms to Counter China – Report
(Reuters, July 4, 2005) Taiwan needs to buy more attack weapons to counter a rapid arms build-up by rival China, United Daily News reported. The paper did not specify the types of weapon, saying only they would be for offensive purposes.

Taiwan Says U.S. Arms Deal Will Fend Off China
(Reuters, June 28, 2005) Taiwan risks losing its military edge over ideological foe China -- and support from the United States -- if parliament fails to approve a US$15 billion arms budget, a senior defense ministry official said.

Taiwan to Get US Early Warning Radar
(Reuters, June 24, 2005) The US Defense Department has said it would supply Taiwan with key elements of a missile and air defense capability, a move aimed at defusing the threat from China.

China Tested New Missile, US Source Confirms
(AP, June 24, 2005) The Chinese military successfully launched a long-range ballistic missile from a submarine in a test this month, marking an advance in their known technical capability, a US defense official said.

Officials to Hold Military Talks with US
(Taipei Times, Jun 24, 2005) Two senior Taiwanese government officials will be in Washington next week to discuss ways to improve military relations between Taiwan and the US.

China Test-Fires New Submarine-Launched Missile
(Yomiuri Shimbun, June 18, 2005) China test-fired a new long-range, submarine-launched ballistic missile. The new missile is believed to be the Ju Lang-2, a modified version of the intercontinental ballistic missile Dong Feng-31 that has a range of about 8,000 kilometers.

US Representatives Urge Passage of Arms Budget
(Taipei Times, May 28, 2005) Citing concerns about Taiwan's defense abilities, dozens of members of Congress sent a letter to Lien Chan urging the KMT to end its boycott.

Don't Train Taiwan Military, China Warns U.S.
(Reuters, May 28, 2005) China today asked Washington to stop an effort by US lawmakers to establish a military training program for rival Taiwan.

US Denies Deadline on Arms Purchases
(Taipei Times, May 26, 2005) Officials in Washington say that US policy has not changed, and that they are committed to the arms deal -- regardless of the legislature's intransigence.

Taiwan Opposition Blocks Arms-Deal Debate
(Reuters, May 25, 2005) Taiwan opposition lawmakers have again blocked a NT$480 billion arms budget from being discussed in the current legislative session.

Taiwan Says 2nd Chinese Ship Enters Its Waters
(Reuters, May 24, 2005) Taiwan sent coast guard ships and a helicopter to push back a Chinese research vessel that it said had entered its waters, the second such intrusion in a month.

US Gives Taiwan Deadline on Aircraft Sales: Official
(Taipei Times, May 24, 2005) According to the defense minister, the US will sell 12 maritime patrol planes elsewhere if the legislature doesn't approve the arms bill by month's end.

Taiwan Detains Officer for Leaking Secrets to China
(Reuters, May 11, 2005) Taiwan has detained an intelligence officer on suspicions he leaked defense secrets to rival China, forcing the defense ministry to swing into damage control.

Taiwan Navy Could Hold Off Chinese 'for Two Weeks'
(AP, Apr. 27, 2005) A compute-simulated war game has confirmed a Taiwanese military theory that the island's naval fleet - led by US-built destroyers - could hold on for at least two weeks in the event of a mainland Chinese attack.

Taiwan Tests Defenses with Computer Drills
(AFP, Apr. 19, 2005) Taiwan's Defense Ministry launched a five-day computer-simulated wargame to test the island's defense capabilities against China.

PLA Purchase of French Fighters Concerns Taiwan, Military Says
(Taiwan News, Apr. 12, 2005) Taiwan's Air Force is concerned over China's intention to buy French-made Mirage 2000-9 fighters once the European weapon sales embargo on China is lifted.

Military Sees China Sea Dominance in Taiwan Strait by 2015
(China Post, Mar. 24, 2005) The military predicted China would have the ability to build a big enough air carrier fleet to gain sea dominance in the Taiwan Strait by 2015 in a bid to drum up support for a controversial billion-dollar U.S. arms deal.

Defense Chief Sees Mainland Attack in 5 to 10 Years' Time
(China Post, Mar. 10, 2005) Minister of National Defense Lee Jye predicted China will attack Taiwan in five to ten years.

U.S. Lawmakers Warn Europe on Arms Sales to China
(NYT, Mar. 2, 2005) Senior members of Congress from both parties emerged from a meeting with President Bush warning Europe that if it lifts its ban on arms sales to China, the United States may retaliate with severe restrictions on technology sales to European companies.

MND Makes 23% Price Cut for U.S. Arms Purchase
(China Post, Feb. 23, 2005) Minister of National Defense Lee Jye said he is ready to make a 23 percent price cut to win legislative support for passing a US$18 billion arms purchase bill.

Taiwan Navy to Put on Show of Long-Range Power
(AFP, Feb. 22, 2005) Taiwan's navy plans to embark next month on its first round-the-world voyage, which will include port calls in countries which recognize Beijing.

Defense Firm Drops Radar Bid for Taipei
(AFP, Feb. 7, 2005) US Defense giant Lockheed Martin has withdrawn its bid to supply Taiwan with an early-warning radar system as the island was reconsidering the controversial arms deal.

Taiwan Unveils Armored Vehicle
(Taiwan News, Jan. 12, 2005) A new feline that can handle Taiwan's rough terrain has joined the country's military. The eight-wheeled vehicle represents a breakthrough for the military which previously had to buy more expensive foreign equipment.

Taiwan Successfully Test-Fires Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile
(AP, Jan. 7, 2005) Taiwan successfully test-fired a new locally developed supersonic anti-ship missile that could reach the coast of rival China, a newspaper reported.

US Plans to Buy Ammunition from Taiwan: Report
(AFP, Jan. 7, 2004) The US has plans to buy hundreds of millions of bullets from Taiwan in the first such deal ever as its supplies run low due to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Taiwan to Purchase over 400 Hellfire Missiles
(CNA, Jan. 6, 2005) Taiwan will purchase more than 400 Hellfire missiles from the United States, worth a total of about US$50 million, American defense industry sources said.

Fighter Jets May Be Mothballed
(CNA, Jan. 4, 2005) Because of Taiwan's high humidity and other reasons, the Ministry of National Defense is considering putting away its planes.

China May Have Upper Hand in Five Years: US Report
(Taipei Times, Nov. 30, 2005) Within five years, China's armed forces may be able to prevent the US from coming to Taiwan's aid against a military attack from China, a new US congressional report warns.

Taiwan's Cold Feet By Philip Bowring
(International Herald Tribune, Oct. 3, 2005) The 2001 list may not be optimal, but with these weapons, Taiwan can keep the cost to the mainland sufficiently high so as to act as a deterrent. That in turn would reassure its few friends that Taiwan is prepared to stand up for itself.

Time Running Out as Taiwan Wrings Hands over US Arms By Alice Hung (Reuters, Oct. 2, 2005) Time is running out for Taiwan as parliament agonizes over a huge U.S. weapons package seen as critical in maintaining the balance of power with China and as Washington all but throws its arms in the air in frustration.

Domestic Factors and the U.S. Arms Sale to Taiwan By Philip Yang (Taipei Times, Sep. 30, 2005) Taiwan's purchase of arms from the US is not a simple military problem, but is a complex issue that is critical to the security of the cross-strait situations and the relationship between Taiwan, the US and China.

For Taiwan, American Rock, Chinese Hard Place By Todd Crowell (Asia Times, Sep. 30, 2005) For months Washington has been growing increasingly frustrated by Taiwan's lack of spending on national defense in the face of China's rising arms expenditures and force modernization.

Finessing a Tougher Taiwanese Defense By Richard Halloran
(Japan Times, Sep. 27, 2005) The new commander of American forces in Asia and the Pacific, Adm. William J. Fallon, has begun making subtle but distinctive changes in his command's endeavor to keep the peace between Taiwan and China.

Taiwan's Turn By Justin Logan
(Washington Times, Sep. 26, 2005) In the face of this dire threat, Taiwan has displayed a stunning neglect of its own defense, and not just in terms of its refusal to pass the special budget. Over the last five years, Taiwan's overall defense spending has dropped roughly 25 percent.

Taiwan Needs Consensus on Defense
(Editorial, Taipei Times, Sep. 22, 2005) It is time for all the people of Taiwan to reach a consensus on national security and show the US that Taiwan is no coward, nor a baby that knows only how to cry for help but refuses to help itself.

Taiwan Strait Tension Easing
(Reuters, Sep. 21, 2005) Taiwan and China can probably avoid military conflict for the remainder of President Chen Shui-bian's term, which ends in May 2008, but the Taiwan Strait remains a dangerous region, according to a report by a security group.

Stand Up for Yourselves, Lawless Tells Taiwanese
(Taipei Times, Sep. 21, 2005) US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Richard Lawless yesterday issued a blunt statement on Taiwan's blocked arms-procurement bill.

U.S. Should Hold Arms Deal
(Editorial, China Post, Aug. 31, 20050 Washington appears desperate. It no longer hides its impatience with Taiwan over the failure to conclude the deal of a robust package of advanced weapons that President Bush offered to sell.

Drills Put U.S. Navy on Notice By Richard Halloran
(Japan Times, Aug. 30, 20050 Soon after Adm. Gary Roughhead took the helm as the new commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the Chinese and Russian armed forces gave him something to think about.

Quiet Taiwan Strait a Big Relief to US By Roger Mitton
(Straits Times, Aug. 26, 2005) There is tremendous relief in the United States that tensions over the Taiwan Strait have lessened considerably in the past six months.

'Peace Mission' Against the U.S.? By Ariel Cohen
(Washington Times, Aug. 25, 2005) The unprecedented Sino-Russian first joint military exercises on Aug. 18-25 have raised concerns in Washington. "The correlation of forces in Eurasia is shifting against the U.S.", says a senior State Department.

China's War Games Also Send Message to Taiwan
(Sydney Morning Herald, Aug. 22, 2005) A parachute drop by Russian special forces at a Chinese army training ground has signalled a growing challenge by two former communist rivals to the US strategic presence in Asia.

Taiwan Skimping on Defense Readiness By Richard Halloran
(Japan Times, Aug. 22, 2005) The political leaders of Taiwan, both government and opposition, are in serious danger of misreading or ignoring the increasingly stiff warning signals coming from Washington.

Russian-Chinese Maneuvers Send a Message By Philip Bowring (International Herald Tribune, Aug. 20, 2005) The two are reminding the United States of the limits of its unilateral global power. The exercises are also a way for each country to deliver a message to the other, as well as to their Northeast Asian neighbors.

China-Russia War games Send Message to US, Taiwan
(CNSNews, Aug. 18, 2005) Analysts generally agree Beijing and Moscow are sending a message to the United States and its military presence in the Pacific and, especially, in Central Asia.

War Games Seen as 'Message' By Bill Gertz
(Washington Times, Aug. 17, 2005) A joint Chinese and Russian military exercise is meant as a political signal to the United States, in addition to helping Moscow showcase its weapons for sale to China, U.S. defense and intelligence officials said.

Taiwan Has to Bolster Its Defenses and Resolve By Shu Chin-chiang (Taipei Times, Aug. 11, 2005) Given the threat that exists from China, Taiwan should form an Asia-Pacific security community with the US and Japan, to deal with Beijing's military rise.

A Brief History of Nuclear Weapons By Yuan Jing-dong
(Taipei Times, Aug. 7, 2005) Nuclear weapons, the most formidable and destructive weapons ever invented and then built by mankind, have cast a dark shadow over humanity for six decades.

U.S. Military Seen as Taiwan's 'Secret Weapon'
(Central News Agency, Aug. 3, 2005) Taiwan should continue to treat the United States as its "secret weapon" as it faces military threats from China, Eric A. McVadon said.

Chinese Buildup Seen as Threat to Region By Ann Scott Tyson
(Washington Post, July 20, 2005) China's military buildup is broadening the reach of its forces in Asia and poses a long-term threat not only to Taiwan but to the U.S. military in the Pacific and to regional powers such as India and Japan, according to an assessment released yesterday by the Pentagon.

China's Military Geared to Deterring Taiwan, Report Says By Thom Shanker and David E. Sanger
(NYT, July 20, 2005) China is modernizing its military and emphasizing preparations "to fight and win short-duration, high-intensity conflicts" over Taiwan, the Pentagon said Tuesday with the release of its annual report on Chinese military power.

The Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2005
Office of the Secretary of Defense

Chen's Strategic Plans May Put Taiwan at Risk
(Editorial, China Post, July 7, 2005) The administration of President Chen Shui-bian is effecting fundamental changes in the island's diplomatic and military strategies.

Taiwan at Critical Juncture, Needs Arms: Chen
(CNA, June 30, 2005) President Chen Shui-bian said that Taiwan is now at a critical juncture of metamorphosis on many fronts, including constitutional reform, the detente across the Taiwan Strait, diplomatic development and the upgrading of national defense.

Israeli-produced Drone Poses A Big Threat to Taiwan, Says Expert
(AP, June 22, 2005) Israeli-made drone aircraft at the heart of a fierce political row between Israel and the U.S. are likely to be a key element of any Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a Taiwanese military analyst said yesterday.

Upsetting Asia's Delicate Balance By Michael Elliott
(Time Asia, Mar. 7, 2005) The security of Taiwan, however, does not seem to have entered into European calculations. Though Europeans seem blithely unaware of it, the strategic balance in East Asia is extraordinarily fragile.

Don't Lift the Arms Embargo on China By David Shambaugh
(International Herald Tribune, Feb. 23, 2005) China will just have to live with it until it comes to terms with Tiananmen and stops putting military pressure on Taiwan.

An Arms Cornucopia For China? By John Rossant
(BusinessWeek, Feb. 21, 2005) Europe will probably lift its embargo, but companies will be careful what they sell. All of the European defense contractors want more business in the U.S., and they are starting to get it.