A research report titled "Trade in Conventional Weapons by Developing Countries" released recently by a research department of the US Congress lists in detail stage by stage the amount of money spent on arms purchases by principal countries and regions of the world. The report shows that in the eight years from 1996 to 2003, the total amount of arms purchase by Taiwan approaches US$20 billion, ranking second in the world.

Agreement on over 50 items of arms trade reached between Taiwan and the US in 10 years

Statistics show that over 95 percent of various types of weapons purchased by Taiwan came from the United States. According to Taiwan's military magazine Defense Technology Monthly, Taiwan has since 1996 reached agreement with the United States on over 50 items of arms trade, including two E-2T early warning planes, three sets of "Patriot II missile systems as well as four Kidd destroyers (not yet delivered) and other weapons.

Since 2004, the United States has, breaking through the red line of US-Taiwan arms purchase, promised to sell AGM-88 high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARM) to Taiwan. The United States also helped Taiwan military force in equipment upgrading and renovation of F-16 and "Ching-kuo" fighter planes, and provided it with "Pathfinder/Sharpshooter" electronic equipment, plus the "Maverick" missiles equipped by Taiwan military force, so that Taiwan has the ability to attack important strategic targets in the interior of the Chinese mainland. On June 23 this year, the United States declared that it would make long-range early warning radar for Taiwan, so that the long-range pre-warning capability of Taiwan military force will reach over 3,000 km. With help from the United States, the medium- and long-range cruise missile "Hsiung Feng 2E" was allowed to enter the stage of quantity production, the project of spy satellite is also being carried out intensively. At present, Taiwan authorities are actively pushing forward their new arms purchase plan. It can be predicted that in a period of time to come, the total amount of arms purchase by the Taiwan army will be placed in the front rank.

Arms purchase refracts the strategic change of Taiwan military forces

Along with the gradual intensification of Taiwan's arms purchase efforts in recent years, the variety of weapons bought has also been in the increase, including diesel submarine, Aegis destroyer which were included in the arms purchase list of Taiwan military force, indicating that the military strategy of Taiwan military force has thoroughly changed toward an offensive strategy, making it possible for the advocacy of "fighting a decisive battle outside the region" put forward by Chen Shui-bian when he assumed office to be fully implemented. What merits vigilance and attention is that in their first "national security report" soon to be published, the Taiwan authorities take great pain to play up the mainland's military threat to Taiwan armed forces, and noisily preach that Taiwan military force must equip itself with attacking weapons, so as to achieve the "effective frightening and blocking" aim. In that case, the Taiwan authorities will likely intensify their effort to purchase attacking weapons and equipment.

Taiwan becomes US "salvage station"

For a long time, Taiwan authorities' wanton purchase of foreign munitions has caused heavy burden to Taiwan general public. In 2003, Taiwan's "defense ministry" worked out a budget of US$17.75 billion worth of military spending. Their unrestrained purchase of munitions has imposed a heavy economic burden on Taiwan's general public, currently, military expenditure borne by every one million Taiwan residents has reached US$340 million, ranking itself first in Asia. Far-sighted people on the Island bitterly hate the authorities' practice of wasting taxpayers' money on the purchase of huge amounts of arms. Ku Chung-lien, Taiwan's former "navy commander-in-chief" and current "legislative council member", was indignant at this, saying that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities only know how to latch onto the Americans, thus turning Taiwan into the "Americans' salvage station".

By People's Daily Online