Georgia’s Lessons
Missile Buildup and Defense
EU Arms Embargo
~ 2000 ; 2001 ; 2002 ; 2003 ; 2004 ; 2005 ; 2006 ; 2007;
2008; 2009
[News] [Papers]
Documents
Quadrennial
Defense Review 2009
Polls
Survey on President Ma
Ying-jeou’s Approval Rating and Removal of Missiles Deployed by China (GVSRC, Oct. 28, 2010) 38.2 percent of the interviewed were
satisfied with Ma’s performance; 45.3 percent said ECFA was much more
important than removal of the missiles aimed at Taiwan.
Survey on Taiwan Relations
Act, Arms Procurement, Participation in WHA, and President Ma’s Approval
Rating (GVSRC, Apr. 24, 2009) 48.3% of Taiwanese say the
government should procure more weapons to gain more ground with China;
meanwhile, 32.8% of Taiwanese approve of President Ma’s performance.
Nearly 80% Will Voluntarily
Defend Country: Survey
(CNA, Dec. 28, 2010) Deputy Defense Minister Chao Shih-chang confirmed the results of a poll that showed 76.5
percent of respondents will voluntarily fight for their country if it comes
under military threat.
New Anti-Submarine Aircraft
to Enter Service in ’11: Report
(AFP, Dec. 27, 2010) The first of a dozen
anti-submarine aircraft are set to go into service in Taiwan next year, local
media reported, as East Asian governments look to counter an increasingly
assertive China.
Minister Sets Missile Talk
Conditions
(Taipei Times, Dec. 23, 2010) Mainland Affairs
Council Minister Lai Shin-yuan set two
preconditions for cross-strait discussions on the removal of Chinese missiles
targeting Taiwan, but emphasized the time is not ripe for such talks.
Navy Asked to Explain
Apparent Ship Plan Delay
(Taipei Times, Dec. 14, 2010) The navy was asked
to justify an apparent decision to delay plans to launch a program to build
submarine chasers to increase the nation’s coastal defense capabilities.
Taiwan Confirms Mass
Producing Cruise Missiles
(AFP, Dec. 9, 2010) Taiwan has confirmed for the
first time that it is mass-producing cruise missiles, despite fast warming
ties with China.
US Reaffirms Commitment to
Taiwan Defense Needs
(CNA, Dec. 9, 2010) United States Deputy
Secretary of State James Steinberg reaffirmed Tuesday Washington's commitment
to help Taiwan meet its
defense needs while at the same time calling for continued dialogue across
the Taiwan Strait. Deputy Secretary Steinberg
on U.S. Policy Toward Asia
US Not Aware of Weapons
Delivery Postponement: AIT
(Taipei Times, Nov. 21, 2010) AIT Director
William Stanton said that the US
wasn’t aware that the Taiwanese government intended to seek an extended delay
on the delivery of two weaponry systems from his country.
President Ma Vows to Avoid
China Arms Race
(CNA,
Nov. 9, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou said Taiwan is unlikely to engage in an arms race
with China and will
instead seek a balance of military power across the Taiwan
Strait through innovative and asymmetric approaches.
Ma Reiterates Call for US to
Sell Taiwan F-16 C/Ds
(CNA,
Nov. 9, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou made another
pitch for help in getting Washington to sell Taiwan advanced F16C/D jet fighters at a meeting with
visiting American congressman Elton Gallegly.
Taiwan Remains Aware of
Potential China Threat: Ma
(CNA,
Nov. 4, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou said that Taiwan will stay alert to the potential threat
posed by China
to the country's security, despite recent positive developments in cross-Taiwan
Strait ties.
Taiwan Develops Missile System
(AFP,
Nov. 2, 2010) Taiwan
is developing a potent missile system that can strike airfields and harbors
on the mainland, in a bid to nip a Chinese invasion in the bud, local media
said.
Arms Procurements to Be
Delayed, KMT Legislator Says
(Taipei Times, Oct. 28, 2010) Some key arms procurements
from the US
would be delayed by a few years because the Ministry of National Defense does
not have sufficient funds, a legislator said.
Stop US Arms Sales to
Taiwan: China
(Taipei Times, Oct. 24, 2010) Director of China’s Taiwan
Affairs Office Wang Yi ended a mid-week visit to Washington
by urging US President Barack Obama to stop selling arms to Taiwan.
Taiwan Plans to Build Six
Minesweeping Naval Craft
(AFP,
Oct. 20, 2010) A Taiwanese legislator said that Taiwan
was planning to build six minesweepers as part of efforts to boost its
defense capabilities, despite improving political and economic ties with China.
Defense Ministry to Review
French-Built Fighter Jets
(CNA,
Oct. 19, 2010) National Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu
said that he will ask for an overall review of the country's French made
Mirage fighter jets after a lawmaker pointed out that the flight hours of the
fighters have been reduced due to concern about a possible engine problem.
Taiwan Deflects China’s
Offer to Hold Military Talks
(CNN,
Oct. 15, 2010) Taiwan
responded coolly to China's
offer to hold military talks, saying that Beijing
should offer to remove its military deployment targeting Taiwan.
China Calls for Military
Talks with Taiwan ‘in Due Course’
(AFP,
Oct. 14, 2010) China called for talks with Taiwan on military issues "in
due course", as the self-ruled island and former foe announced it was
developing an unmanned surveillance aircraft.
US, China Clash Over Taiwan
As Defense Talks Resume
(AFP,
Oct. 13, 2010) China and the United States clashed over U.S. arms sales to
Taiwan as top defense officials struggled to shore up fragile military
relations.
Taiwan Will Be Able to Track
PRC Missiles: MND
(Taipei Times, Oct. 13,
2010) Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu
assured lawmakers that the military would be able to track Chinese missiles
or satellite rockets in motion after the nation’s US$967.4 million long-range
early warning radar system is completed.
Taiwan’s Development of
Drones Confirmed
(Taipei
Times, Oct. 13, 2010) A Ministry of National Defense spokesman confirmed that
Taiwan was developing an unmanned surveillance aircraft (UAV), a move that
provides further confirmation of a continuing arms race despite closer
political and economic ties with China.
Taiwan to Continue to Buy,
Develop Arms: Ma
(AFP,
Oct. 11, 2010) Taiwan will keep buying arms abroad as it cannot rely solely
on improving ties with China to ensure its security, President Ma Ying-jeou said.
State Department Says US
Won’t Stop Taiwan Arms Sales
(Taipei
Times, Oct. 14, 2010) US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley has
confirmed that despite major objections from China, US President Barack Obama
is not considering ending arms sales to Taiwan.
US Still Mulling F-16 Sale:
AIT Chief Burghardt
(Taipei
Times, Oct. 7, 2010) AIT
Chairman Raymond Burghardt told Taipei that despite
enormous pressure from China, the US continues to give serious consideration
to selling it advanced F-16 fighter aircraft.
China Threat Is Still
Growing: Senior Official
(AP,
Oct. 6, 2010) A senior Taiwanese official has told a defense forum in the United States that despite rapidly warming
commercial relations with Taipei,
China's
military threat against the island is growing, Taiwanese media reported.
Top Taiwan Officer Visits US
Over Jet Deal: Report
(AFP,
Oct. 5, 2010) A top Taiwanese military officer is visiting the United States to press for the sale of F-16
fighter jets to the island, a deal that may irk giant neighbor China.
Missile Move Could Cut Arms
Sales
(Taipei
Times, Sep. 30, 2010) If China significantly reduces the number of missiles
it aims at Taiwan, the US can be expected to cut arms sales to Taiwan, a
Washington conference was told.
Government Denies Missed
Opportunity for Military Meeting
(Taipei Times, Sep. 30,
2010) The government yesterday denied claims by a military analyst that it
had blown its chance to see Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu attend an annual conference on US-Taiwan defense
and military cooperation in the US next week.
Taiwan Welcomes China’s
Remarks on Missile Withdrawal
(CNA,
Sep. 24, 2010) Taiwan
welcomed Chinese Primer Wen Jiabao's
Sept. 22 statement that missiles deployed by Beijing
across the Taiwan Strait aimed at Taiwan will eventually be
removed.
U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry
Conference Slated for Oct. 3
(CNA,
Sep. 22, 2010) The annual Taiwan-U.S. Defense Industry Conference will be
held in the U.S. state of Maryland Oct. 3-5, the
U.S.-Taiwan Business Council said.
Pentagon Changes Pacific
Surveillance
(Taipei
Times, Sep. 19, 2010) The US will base three Global Hawk drones in Guam to
capture information about Chinese missile fields and bases in areas across
from Taiwan.
Army Helicopters Make
First-Ever Cross-Sea Flight
(China Post,
Sep. 18, 2010) Helicopters from the army flew from Taiwan to the outlying
island county of Penghu recently in their first-ever cross-the-sea flights, a
newspaper reported.
Taiwan to Deploy New Missile
Defense System by 2015
(Reuters,
Sep. 8, 2010) Taiwan will deploy a new missile defense system by 2015 to
protect bases from any attack by rival China, an official said, a sign that
military distrust still runs deep despite a thaw in trade ties.
Missile Defense Shield to Be
Ready Next Year: Report
(AFP,
Sep. 7, 2010) Taiwan
expects a much-anticipated missile defence shield
to be ready next year after buying advanced weapons at a cost of about NT$300
billion (US$9.4 billion), local media reported.
China Intensifying Military
Presence Build-up: Reports
(AFP,
Sep. 2, 2010) China is ramping-up its military presence facing Taiwan despite
the easing of hostilities across the Strait, a defense ministry report cited
by local media warned.
Taiwan to Deploy Missiles
(AFP,
Aug. 31, 2010) Taiwan plans to deploy its own cruise missiles by the end of
this year, a lawmaker and military pundit said, reflecting continued tension
with China despite warming ties.
US Concerned about Taiwan
Ex-generals’ China Visits: Report
(AFP,
Aug. 30, 2010) Closer contacts between retired Taiwanese generals and the
Chinese authorities have sparked concerns in Washington, the island's major
arms supplier, media and an official said.
China Warns US against
Selling Taiwan Radars
(AP,
Aug. 28, 2010) China objected to a U.S. plan to supply radar equipment to Taiwan's air force, even though the sale was
far short of the F-16 fighter jets the island's president urged Washington to provide
last week.
US to Supply Taiwan Air
Force Radar Equipment
(AP,
Aug. 26, 2010) The United States said it will
supply radar equipment to Taiwan's
air force, an approval of a relatively marginal item less likely to anger China than the F-16 fighter jets the island's
president urged Washington
to provide last week.
President Pushes US to Sell
Taiwan New Jet Fighters
(CNA,
Aug. 20, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou urged the United States yesterday to sell F-16 C/D jet fighters to Taiwan to prevent the balance of military
power across the Taiwan Strait from tilting further in China's favor.
Taiwan Vigilant in Face of
China’s Military Buildup: Ma
(CNA,
Aug. 19, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou stressed the
importance of the Japan-U.S. security treaty signed in 1960, saying that it
has since formed the bedrock of peace and stability in East
Asia, during an interview with Sankei Shimbun.
Taiwan Renews Bid for US
Arms after Pentagon Says Chinese Military Threat against Island Grows (AP, Aug. 17,
2010) Taiwan's Defense
Ministry urged the U.S. to
sell the island advanced weapons systems, after a Pentagon report concluded
that China's arms buildup
is giving it a wider military advantage over Taiwan.
Report: US to Sell Taiwan
Decommissioned Warships
(AP, Aug. 5, 2010) A Taiwanese newspaper reported
that the U.S. will sell
the democratic island two Perry class frigates, a move that would almost
certainly anger China and
further undermine Beijing's already tense
relations with Washington.
War Game Gives China 3-Day
Victory: Report
(AFP, Aug. 5, 2010) A computerized scenario
carried out by Taiwan's military showed that in a war with China the island's
capital Taipei would be in enemy hands in just three days, a report said.
Ma Quotes Mencius, Says Best
Not to Provoke China
(Taipei Times, Aug. 4, 2010) Likening the
military might of Taiwan and China to a grasshopper and a rooster, President
Ma Ying-jeou said although Taiwan could be a
powerful grasshopper, the best strategy was not to provoke the rooster but to
prevent it from taking any reckless action.
Ma Wants Unconditional
Missile Removal
(China Post, Aug. 3, 2010) Beijing
should begin to remove its missiles pointed at Taiwan
without preconditions because such a move will mark an important step towards
improving relations between the two sides of the Taiwan
Strait, said the Presidential Office.
Taiwan Rejected Beijing Plan
for Missile Talks
(DPA, Aug. 1, 2010) Taiwan
has rejected China's call
to hold talks on China
removing missiles facing Taiwan,
but asked China
to remove the missiles on its own initiative instead.
China Missile-Removal Offer
Goes Unanswered
(China
Post, Jul. 31, 2010) Taipei's China policymakers declined to comment on Beijing's latest overture hinting at the possibility of
removing missiles targeting Taiwan.
Boeing to Build Missiles for
Taiwan: US DoD
(CNA, Jul. 31, 2010) The Defense Department
approved in 2008 Taiwan's request for the missiles which are reportedly to be
used to arm Taiwan's two submarines.
Taiwan Leader Chairs China
Attack Wargame: Report
(Bangkok Post, Jul. 22, 2010) Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou
has presided over a computerized wargame simulating
intensive ballistic missile attacks by China, it was reported.
Taiwan Nears Patriot
Contract: Raytheon
(Taipei Times, Jul. 22, 2010) A Taiwanese
official visiting Washington said if the US did not sell Taiwan
F-16C/Ds, it would consider
upgrading Taiwan’s
fleet of older F-16A/Bs.
Military a Key Bargaining
Chip for Taiwan: DPP
(CNA, Jul. 20, 2010) Taiwan
has to maintain its military strength to serve as a bargaining chip in negotiations
with China,
Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen of the opposition
Democratic Progressive Party said.
Ma Orders Ministry to Draft
Military Shopping List
(AFP, Jul. 20, 2010) Taiwan
plans to buy US-made torpedoes and heavy tanks to boost its defense
capabilities despite improving relations with China, reports said.
PRC’s Preparation to Attack Taiwan
Accelerate: Report
(Taipei Times, Jul. 19, 2010) Despite repeated
displays of goodwill by the government of President Ma Ying-jeou, China’s
military preparations for an attack on Taiwan continue to accelerate, a
report by the MND’s intelligence research branch
says.
Taiwan Still Needs Weapons
from US, GIO Minister Says
(Taipei Times, Jul. 18, 2010) Taiwan still wants the US to approve further weapons sales despite a
marked thaw in tensions between Taipei and Beijing, Government Information Office Minister Johnny
Chiang said in Washington.
US Deploys Three Subs in Asia
(Taipei Times, Jul.
10, 2010) Three Ohio-class nuclear submarines — heavily armed with Tomahawk
cruise missiles — are now making a show of US
military power closer than usual to China.
Arms Sales Will Continue, US
Says
(Taipei Times, Jul. 9, 2010) In a policy speech
on Taiwan, US Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
David Shear has pledged that arms sales will continue.
Taiwan To Run Computer
Simulation of Invasion
(DPA, Jul. 8, 2010) Taiwan's
military is to run a computerized simulation of a surprise attack from China
from July 19 despite warming cross-strait relations, officials said.
China Lobbying Provokes
Freeze on US Arms Sales
(Taipei
Times, Jun. 30, 2010) The president of the US-Taiwan Business Council
confirmed a report in a US-based defense magazine that the US State
Department had frozen US congressional notifications for new arms sales to
Taiwan “until at least spring next year.”
Taiwan Sends Aircraft to
U.S. for Upgrade
(AFP, Jun. 23, 2010) Taiwan's
defence ministry said it has shipped two Hawkeye
early warning aircraft to the United
States to boost their capabilities.
No Redeployment Plans from
China: U.S.
(CNA, Jun. 19, 2010) China
has never presented a concrete plan for redeployment of its missiles
targeting Taiwan,
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg said.
MAC Welcomes Report on PLA
Forces Repositioning
(Taipei Times,
Jun. 18, 2010) The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) welcomed China’s reported offer to reposition its
military forces opposite Taiwan.
President: U.S. Arms Sales
Boost Taiwan’s National Defense
(CNA, Jun. 17, 2010) The president's remarks were
seen as a veiled rebuttal of a recent statement by U.S. Senator Dianne
Feinstein that arms sales to Taiwan undermine Washington's ties with China.
Senator Questions Arms Sales
to Taiwan
(Reuters, Jun. 16, 2010) A senior U.S. senator
said that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan were hurting closer ties with China and
asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates what Beijing would have to do for the
Pentagon to reconsider the transfers.
Taiwan Navy Offers Reward
for Missing Torpedo
(AFP, Jun. 15, 2010) Taiwan's navy is offering a cash
reward to any fisherman who finds a torpedo its sailors lost during a drill
last week, the military said.
Report: Taiwan to Test
Missile That Could Reach Beijing
(AFP, Jun. 2, 2010) Taiwan
is slated to test a missile for the first time that could hit Beijing, a report said.
Gates Says Taiwan Arms Sales
Serve to Keep the Peace
(LA Times, Jun. 5, 2010) Defense Secretary Robert
M. Gates defended U.S.
arms sales to Taiwan,
saying that the weapons transfers are meant to enhance stability in Asia by
countering mainland China's
military buildup.
U.S. Still Studying Fighter
Jet Sales to Taiwan: Envoy
(AFP, Jun. 5, 2010) Washington is still
evaluating Taiwan's bid to acquire U.S. fighter jets, a U.S. envoy said, amid
growing concern in Taipei that China now has an edge in air power.
Time Not Ripe for
Cross-Strait Military Talks: Former Official
(CNA, Jun. 3, 2010) A Taiwanese ex-national
security chief said that the time for talks between Taiwan and China on the building of military
mutual trust is not ripe at this time.
China Still a Threat: Yang
(Taipei Times, May
27, 2010) Deputy Minister of National Defense Andrew Yang told a Washington symposium that although President Ma Ying-jeou’s administration was doing everything in its power
to maintain peace, it still considered China a “major threat.”
Security Lax at Super-secret
Base
(Taipei Times, May 26, 2010) Defense News and
Kyodo news agency reported that security at a key signals intelligence
facility in northern Taiwan
was so lax that neighboring cows were observed walking freely around the
base.
US Air Force Assessing Air
Defense Capabilities
(CNA, May 22, 2010) The US will further evaluate
whether to upgrade Taiwan’s existing F-16A/B fighters or sell the country new F-16C/D fighters to help it maintain a
viable air defense, a senior US Air Force official said.
Taiwan Leader Says China May
Dismantle Missiles
(AP, May 19, 2010) China could feel compelled to
dismantle the more than 1,000 missiles it has pointed at Taiwan as relations
between the rivals improve, the island's president said.
136 U.S. Congressmen Call
for Sale of F-16 Fighter Jets
(CNA, May 16, 2010) In a joint letter sent to
U.S. President Barack Obama Friday, 136 members of the House of
Representatives called on the U.S.
administration to seriously deal with Taiwan's self-defense by selling
it F-16 C/D
fighter jets.
Taiwan Shows Images of
Killer Carrier
(UPI, Apr. 13, 2010) Taiwan
has made public its first images of a state-of-the-art missile corvette
intended to match China's
design to acquire an aircraft carrier.
U.S. Helicopter Sale to
Taiwan to Be Finalized in May
(CNA, Apr. 13, 2010) The U.S. sale of 30 AH-64D
Apache Longbow attack helicopters to Taiwan is expected to be finalized in
May, the Defense News reported in a story from Taipei.
Taiwan Retired Generals’
Mainland Visit Enriches Cross-Strait Exchanges: Top Political Advisor (Xinhua, Apr. 7, 2010) Top political advisor Jia
Qinglin said the mainland visit by retired generals
from Taiwan has enriched the content of exchanges across the Taiwan Strait
and is a sign of improved ties.
No Peace Unless China
Removes Missiles: Ma
(CNA, Apr. 7, 2010) President Ma Ying-jeou said removing or dismantling Chinese missiles that
target Taiwan is requisite for a cross-Taiwan Strait peace accord to take
place.
Taiwan Military Defends
Development of Medium-Range Missiles
(DPA, Mar. 29, 2010) Vice Defence
Minister Andrew Yang said that developing medium-range missiles is a 'right
direction' for Taiwan,
because the military balance of power is tilted towards China.
China Adding Missiles Near
Taiwan: Navy Official
(Reuters, Mar. 27, 2010) China has added
long-range missiles near Taiwan and leads the self-ruled island in military
defenses, a U.S. navy official said, suggesting that Taiwan may need new F-16
jet fighters.
US Leaves Open More Arms for
Taiwan
(Bangkok Post, Mar. 19, 2010) The United States
left open the possibility of further arms sales to Taiwan, with a senior
official saying that China's military buildup was aimed squarely at the
self-governing island. China-Taiwan: Recent Economic, Political and
Military Developments Across the Strait and Implications for the United
States
China Warns U.S. against
Selling F-16s to Taiwan
(AP, Mar. 10, 2010) China
warned the United States
against any future arms sales to Taiwan, including F-16 fighter jets
the island has been pushing for in hopes of upgrading its air defense
capabilities.
China Warns U.S. Against
Selling F-16s to Taiwan
(New York Times, Feb. 26, 2010) A top
Chinese military official reaffirmed China’s resolve to punish the United
States over its decision to sell weapons to Taiwan and suggested that there
would be even greater consequences should Washington fulfill a longstanding
request by Taiwan for advanced fighter jets.
US-China Confict Over Taiwan
Possible: Report
(Taipei Times, Feb. 25, 2010) A new study
published this week by Foreign Policy magazine concludes that Taiwan remains the one place in the world
where China and the US
“could conceivably come into direct conflict.”
China’s Military Warns
Washington, Denies Hacking
(Reuters, Feb. 24, 2010) China's military warned
the United States to "speak and act cautiously" to avoid reigniting
tensions between the two powers, denying the People's Liberation Army played
a part in Internet hacking.
DIA Report May Not Sway US
on F-16s
(Taipei Times, Feb. 24, 2010) Despite a major new
report by the US’ Defense Intelligence Agency making it clear Taiwan’s Air
Force is in poor shape, it is by no means certain that Washington will sell
Taipei the 66 advanced F-16C/D
fighters it wants, sources in Washington said.
U.S. Intel Report on Taiwan
Air Power Released
(DefenseNews, Feb. 22,
2010) A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment that points out
weaknesses in Taiwan's air
power and air defense capabilities seems to support Taiwan's case for new F-16s.
On Arms Sales to Taiwan,
China Sends Mixed Signals
(New York Times, Feb. 12, 2010) China
sent contradictory signals about its policies toward the United States two weeks after the Obama
administration approved the sale of arms to Taiwan, signaling some willingness to
cooperate militarily.
Submarine Procurement Plan
Not Dropped: Defense Ministry
(CNA, Feb. 10, 2010) he military has not dropped
its plan to procure submarines to help beef up Taiwan's self-defense capability,
the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
China PLA Officers Urge
Economic Punch against U.S.
(Reuters, Feb. 9, 2010) Senior Chinese military
officers have proposed that their country boost defense spending, adjust PLA
deployments, and possibly sell some U.S.
bonds to punish Washington for its latest
round of arms sales to Taiwan.
Taiwan to Seek More Arms
from the U.S.
(AFP, Feb. 8, 2010) Taiwan's
national defense minister has vowed to seek more weaponry from the United States, which he said would give the
island greater confidence in pushing for rapprochement talks with China.
‘Economist’ Urges Washington
to Stand Up to China
(Taipei
Times, Feb. 7. 2010) The strength of Sino-US relations is vital to global
peace and prosperity, The Economist said in its latest issue, adding that the
US and other countries must at the same time “stand firmer” against Beijing’s
whims and wants.
Taiwan Air Force to Get 3
Helicopters from Europe
(AFP, Feb. 4, 2010) Taiwan said Friday its air
force would get three rescue helicopters from Airbus sister company Eurocopter, in a development observers warned could
worsen Chinese anger over military sales to the island.
China’s Interests May Limit
Sanctions on US Firms
(AP, Feb. 1, 2010) China's
threats to punish U.S.
companies involved in a major arms sale to Taiwan
are raising questions over whether Beijing
could pull it off without undermining its own aviation industries.
China Fumes at Latest U.S.
Arms Sales to Taiwan
(Reuters, Feb. 1, 2010) Chinese state media
blasted the United States
for a planned $6.4 billion arms package for Taiwan,
while a U.S. official said
Washington
was committed to helping the island defend itself.
Navy Denies Chinese Sub
Spotted off South Taiwan
(China
Post, Feb. 1, 2010) The R.O.C Navy denied a media report that the nation's
naval battleships detected a suspected Chinese submarine off southwestern Taiwan
during a military exercise on Jan. 27.
U.S. Deal with Taiwan Has
China Retaliating
(New York Times, Jan. 31, 2010) The Chinese
government announced an unusually broad series of retaliatory measures in
response to the latest United States arms sales to Taiwan, including
sanctions against American companies that supply the weapon systems for the
arms sales.
U.S. Approval of Arms Sales
to Taiwan Angers China
(New York Times, Jan. 30, 2010) The Obama
administration has approved an arms sales package to Taiwan worth more than
$6 billion, a move that has enraged China and may complicate President
Obama’s effort to enlist Beijing’s cooperation on Iran.
Inside the Ring: Taiwan Air Threats By
Bill Gertz
(Washington Times, Jan. 28, 2010) Included in the
Obama administration's latest arms package for Taiwan will be authorization
for a joint U.S.-Taiwan feasibility study on bolstering air power against the
threats to the island posed by Chinese missiles and aircraft.
China Issues Warning Over US
Arms Sales to Taiwan
(AP, Jan. 26, 2010) Contacts with China's military would likely be the first to
suffer if Beijing moves to retaliate over
upcoming U.S. arms sales
to Taiwan.
White House OKs Taiwan Arms Package
(Washington Times, Jan. 26, 2010) The Obama
administration has agreed to sell a new package of arms to Taiwan in a move that is expected to be met
with an angry response from China,
according to U.S.
officials.
China Urges US to Halt Arms
Sales to Taiwan
(AP, Jan. 9, 2010) China
has reiterated its opposition to American arms sales to Taiwan, calling them an interference in Beijing's internal affairs that could undermine
relations with the United
States.
Washington Clears Patriot
Missile Sale
(Reuters, Jan. 8, 2010) The US has cleared a sale
of advanced Patriot air defense missiles to Taiwan, the US Department of
Defense said
Obama Imperiling Taiwan: US Group
(Taipei Times, Jan. 3, 2010) Rupert
Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, said the White
House ‘clearly views Taiwan
as a barrier to US
interests in Asia.’
Ma Letting Taiwanese
Military Wither By Jens Kastner and Wang Jyh-Perng (Asia Times, Nov.
11, 2010) Although it remains unclear to what extent Taipei's less-than-ideal
payment ethic will affect actual delivery, the damage has been done, and
Taipei-friendly lobbyists in Washington will have an even harder time than
before pursuing their trade.
China’s Growing Strength,
Taiwan’s Diminishing Options By Yuan-kang Wang (Brookings,
November, 2010) China's
growing military, economic, and political capabilities are limiting strategic
options for Taiwan,
whose main security threat comes from the mainland. Strengthening Taiwan-U.S.
relations can help the island better protect its security.
“War without Gunfire”:
China’s Intelligence War with Taiwan By
Russell Hsiao (China
Brief, Jamestown Foundation, Nov. 5, 2010) As the center of economic and political
gravity in the Taiwan Strait shifts toward China,
Beijing
appears to be gaining an upper hand in this "war without gunfire."
Cross-Strait Security
‘Worrisome’: Expert By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Nov. 3, 2010) Richard Bush,
director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Northeast Asian Policy,
told a Washington conference that how China deals with the Taiwan issue would
be a “litmus test” on what kind of great power it would eventually be.
F-16 Upgrade Doesn’t Fly
with Taiwan By Jens Kastner
(Asia Times, Oct. 22, 2010) Even though Taiwan is being promised F-16A/Bs packed with sophisticated US
weaponry, the Taiwanese are far from grateful. They believe that not only is
a war with China not going to happen, but that the Americans will eventually
backtrack on their promises anyway, as they have done many times.
Taiwan Shops for Newer Air
Defenses from US By Bill Gertz
(Washington Times, Oct. 6, 2010)
Taiwan urgently needs newer model F-16 jet fighters to bolster its air
defenses and overall security because of growing missile and aircraft threats
from China, Taiwan's deputy defense minister said.
Taiwanese Cool to China’s
Overtures By Jens Kastner and Wang Jyh-Perng (Asia Times, Oct.
1, 2010) It seems neither Taiwan's military nor the public find Wen's overtures or, indeed, China in general,
particularly trustworthy.
The Politics of China’s
Missile Redeployments By Cheng-yi Lin
(China Brief 10(19), Jamestown Foundation, Sep.
24, 2010) Given China’s increasing strength and Beijing’s increasing ability to
direct cross-Strait relations, the lack of a proactive posture by the United
States in the Taiwan Strait has allowed U.S. influence to be relatively
diminished.
Taiwan’s Military Shores Up
Indigenous Defense Capabilities
By Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(18), Jamestown Foundation, Sep. 10, 2010) Against the backdrop of China's growing conventional
threat toward Taiwan, the initiatives undertaken by Taipei and Washington to
shore up Taiwan's indigenous defense capabilities may reflect a deeper
transformation in the U.S.-Taiwan defense relationship.
China’s Evolving Anti-Access
Approach: “Where’s the Nearest (U.S.) Carrier?” By
Andrew Erickson (China Brief 10(18),
Jamestown Foundation, Sep.
10, 2010) Emerging Chinese A2/AD capabilities should concern not only the
U.S. Navy but also the U.S.
military as a whole, whose operations in East Asia
writ large could be affected.
Taiwan Faces Growing Threat:
Communist China Undermines Rapprochement By
Richard C. Bush III (Washington Times, Sep. 8, 2010) The annual
report on China’s military power judges that China is acquiring capabilities
to enhance its options while restricting those of Taiwan and the United
States.
In War We Trust By
Jens Kastner
(Asia Times, Jul. 30, 2010) All recent signs show
that closer economic ties and improvements in the Taiwan
government's relations with Beijing
are of little help in reducing military hostility across the strait.
Experts See No Big U.S. Arms
Sales to Taiwan in 2010 By Ralph Jennings (Reuters, Jul. 29, 2010) U.S. officials will defer any major new
arms sales to Taiwan until at least 2011 as Beijing steps up pressure on
Washington, where mending Sino-U.S. ties is a priority, defense analysts say.
Taiwan Overdue for F-16
Jets, Ex U.S. Official Say By Jim Wolf
(Reuters, Jul. 6, 2010) The United States is
"way past due" to meet Taiwan's request for updated F-16 fighter
jets to help plug a growing gap with China, said a former U.S. official
overseeing Air Force programs designed to help the self-governing island keep
up its defenses.
Taiwan: Hawaii, Jamaica or
Cuba? By James Holmes
(Taipei
Times, Jun. 24, 2010) A navy made up of small craft that nimbly shift from
side to side, finding refuge and supplies in numerous coastal sites, could
defy a Chinese offensive for long enough to matter.
Take China Out of the
Driver’s Seat on Taiwan By Rupert
Hammond-Chambers (Wall Street Journal, Jun. 13,
2010) The key U.S.-Taiwan problem is that Washington has made changes in its
process for selling arms to Taiwan that increase incentives for Beijing to
raise a fuss.
Operational Changes in
Taiwan’s Han Kuang Military Exercises 2008-2010 By
Fu S. Mei (China Brief 10(11), Jamestown
Foundation, May 27, 2010) The annual exercises (HK-24 to HK-26) have since
begun to reflect many of the themes in Ma’s defense policy platform, which
calls for increased emphasis on passive protection measures and ground
defense, rather than the more (air and naval-focused) active defense strategy
favored by previous administrations.
Taiwan Plans Stealthy
900-ton Warships By Wendell Minnick
(Defense News, Apr. 18, 2010) Taiwan's recently
announced plans to build a new 900-ton warship is just the vanguard of a
projected new generation of low-observable surface combatant vessels tailored
to battle in the Taiwan Strait, analysts said.
China-Taiwan Up Missile Ante By
Russell Hsiao
(China Brief 10(7), Jamestown
Foundation, Apr. 1, 2010) As China continues its acquisition, development and
deployment of new ballistic and cruise missile systems, the region appears to
be slowly edging toward a missile race as China's neighbors equip themselves
with both offensive and defensive systems to hedge against Beijing's growing
array of strategic weapons.
Taiwan’s Navy: Able to Deny
Command of the Sea? By James Holmes and Toshi Yoshihara (China
Brief 10(8), Jamestown
Foundation, Apr. 16, 2010) Reorienting the ROCN toward sea denial would mean
playing down its tradition of fleet-on-fleet engagements and letting go of
prized assets.
Taiwan’s Navy: Still in
Command of the Sea? By James Holmes and Toshi Yoshihara (China Brief 10(6), Jamestown
Foundation, Mar. 18, 2010) Taipei’s vision of
offensive sea control appears less and less tenable, and Beijing knows it. Chinese naval thinkers
have shrewdly and accurately taken the Taiwan Navy’s measure.
Strategic Implications of
China’s Access to the Rajin Port By
Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(6), Jamestown Foundation, Mar. 18, 2010) North Korean authorities
are currently studying a proposal to grant a 10 year extension to China's
lease of Rajin Port, which is located strategically
on the border of North Korea and Russia, close to the mouth of the Tumen river basin and the Sea of Japan.
Addressing the Military
Imbalance By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei Times, Mar. 7, 2010) The recent
assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency of Taiwan’s air defense
status, which was delivered to Congress on Feb. 16, requires serious
reflection and action, both in Taiwan
and the US.
The Role of U.S. Arms Sales
in Taiwan’s Defense Transformation By
Michael S. Chase (China
Brief, Jamestown
Foundation, Mar. 5, 2010) Assessments of the motives underlying China’s
reaction to the arms sales announcement and its potential ramifications for
U.S.-China relations have dominated media coverage and online punditry, but
an equally important question is that of Taiwan’s future approach to defense
transformation and arms procurements from the United States.
How to Win the Cyber-War By
Mike McConnell
(Washington
Post, Feb. 28, 2010) The cyber-war mirrors the nuclear challenge in terms of
the potential economic and psychological effects. So, should our strategy be
deterrence or preemption? The answer: both.
Meeting Taiwan’s
Self-Defense Needs By Dean Cheng
(Backgrounder #2379, Heritage Foundation, Feb.
26, 2010) Given China's ongoing military buildup, particularly toward Taiwan,
it is essential that the United States provide Taiwan with the physical and
political means to resist the capacity of the Chinese military to alter the
political status quo.
Debunking Myths about US Arms Sales to Taiwan By
Bonnie Glaser
(PacNet #6,
Pacific Forum, CSIS, Feb. 17, 2010) Understanding the reasons for the
US sale of weapons to Taiwan may not diminish China’s opposition to them, but
it is nevertheless important for assessing the broader US-China relationship
and predicting future US policy decisions.
US-China Relations on a Downward Slide By
Ralph A. Cossa
(PacNet #4A, Pacific Forum, CSIS, Feb. 10, 2010)
Arms sales to Taiwan are a clear demonstration of Washington’s commitment to
peace and stability in Asia that send a clear signal to allies and potential
adversaries alike that the US is determined to be an Asia-Pacific power.
U.S. Sees Limited Chinese
Backlash Against Its Arms Sales to Taiwan By
Peter Spiegel (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 19,
2010) China's premium on
bilateral military ties with Washington
appears to be tempering its reaction to the recent U.S.
decision to sell arms to Taiwan,
say current and former U.S.
officials.
Taiwan Comes between the
U.S. and China Again By Richard C. Bush III (LA Times, Feb. 11, 2010) The logic behind the sale is simple: China has increased the island's vulnerability
even when it did not need to do so; at the request of Taiwan, the Obama administration
seeks to reduce the island's insecurity.
The Winter of PRC Discontent By
Alan D. Romberg
(China
Leadership Monitor, Hoover Institution, Winter
2010) Both Taipei and Beijing
seem committed to completing ECFA by May, and formal talks have begun. At the
same time, cross-Strait political dialogue appears to have been put on the
back burner for now. In this context emerged the sharp PRC reaction against U.S. arms sales for Taiwan.
China’s Hawks Demand Cold
War on the US By Michael Sheridan
(The Times, Feb. 7, 2010) More than half of
Chinese people questioned in a poll believe China
and America
are heading for a new “cold war.”
What is the U.S. Really
Selling Taiwan?
(Editorial,
China Post,
Feb. 6, 2010) The weapons systems Taiwan
is getting from the U.S.
may just be toys, or a Linus blanket that makes us
feel safe.
US Arms Sales to Taiwan
stifle US-China Military Engagement By
Peter Ford (Christian Science Monitor, Feb.
2, 2010) To protest the US’s
arms sales to Taiwan, China
halted contact between the two nations’ militaries, which expanded in recent
months to include study tours and naval exercises.
US Arms Sales to Taiwan—Beijing Reacts Sharply By
Alan D. Romberg (Stimson Center,
Feb. 1, 2010) It is easy enough to understand why, in principle, China must
protest any sales. What is less clear is why Beijing has ratcheted up its reaction this
time, and what it really expects to come from its actions.
U.S. Arms for Taiwan Send
Beijing a Message By Helene Cooper
(New York Times, Feb. 1, 2010) For the past year,
China has adopted an
increasingly muscular position toward the United States; now, the Obama
administration has started to push back.
China’s Strident Tone Raises
Concerns among Western Governments, Analysts By
John Pomfret (Washington Post, Jan.
31, 2010) China's indignant reaction to the announcement of U.S. plans to
sell weapons to Taiwan appears to be in keeping with a new triumphalist attitude from Beijing that is worrying
governments and analysts across the globe.
Report Calls for Slow
Approach to CBMs By William Lowther
(Taipei
Times, Jan. 14, 2010) A major new US study warns that while it is important
to build mutual trust, China and Taiwan should not move prematurely to
discuss military CBMs and should wait until both
sides are fully prepared.
With Defense Test, China
Shows Displeasure of U.S. By Andrew Jacobs and Jonathan Ansfield (New York Times, Jan. 13, 2010) Chinese and
Western analysts say there is no mistaking that the timing of the test,
coming amid Beijing’s fury over American arms sales to Taiwan, was largely
aimed at the White House.
|
