CNA (Taiwan): TAIWAN WATCHES CLOSELY TMD-RELATED DEVELOPMENTS: SPOKESMAN

[bich dao <daotb@yahoo.com>]

TAIWAN WATCHES CLOSELY TMD-RELATED DEVELOPMENTS: SPOKESMAN

    Taipei, Aug. 21 (CNA) Continuing to provide Taiwan with defensive
arms  is  the consistent policy of the United States, and Taiwan will
keep a close watch on developments relating to its proposed inclusion
in  a  US missile defense shield, government spokesman Chen Chien-jen
said on Saturday.
    US  State  Department spokesman James Rubin on Friday hinted that
the  United  States  may  keep  the door open for Taiwan to join a US
anti-missile  program,  saying that "we would view with grave concern
any  use  of force against Taiwan, and we don't preclude the possible
sale of theater missile defenses (TMD) to Taiwan in the future."
    The  United  States  would help Taiwan defend itself according to
the  provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act and the three communiques
signed between Washington and Beijing, said Rubin.
    Dismissing  Beijing's  alleged demand that Washington cut off all
arms  supplies  to Taiwan, Rubin said at a press conference on Friday
that  the  United  States  would honor the TRA and supply Taiwan with
weapons necessary for its defense.
    Rubin  said  that  although  Taiwan  President  Lee  Teng-hui has
declared  the  island's willingness to join the TMD program, weaponry
alone would not guarantee the island's security.
    Instead,  the State Department spokesman touted the importance of
dialogue  in  resolving  peacefully  any  disputes between Taipei and
Beijing.
    Chen  said  Taiwan  welcomes  Rubin's  statement  amid  increased
tension  in  the  Taiwan  Strait in light of President Lee Teng-hui's
statehood  assertion  and reports that Beijing is elbowing Washington
to stop all arms sales to Taiwan.
    Rubin's  remarks  are also encouraging in that they come just one
day  after President Lee voiced his backing for Taiwan's inclusion in
the  US-initiated  TMD  system and the Ministry of National Defense's
(MND) announcement that Taiwan will establish a comprehensive missile
defense   system   step-by-step  in  accordance  with  its  financial
strength, Chen noted.
    Chen  said the MND is studying the feasibility of joining the TMD
program.   The  MND  now  places  top  priority  on  building  up  an
early-warning  system  to cope with mounting mainland Chinese missile
threats  and  Taiwan's  future  air-defense  needs.  An early-warning
system will allow the military to quickly detect aerial activities by
enemy   warplanes   and   thus   secure   more   time  for  preparing
counterattacks, he added.
    Although  mainland  Chinese  Ambassador  Li  Zhaoxing on Thursday
launched   a   vitriolic   attack   on   President   Lee's   "special
state-to-state"   assertion  on  cross-strait  relations,  Chen  said
international  opinion  leaders have now shifted their attention from
Lee's  remarks to Beijing-Taipei tensions and possible changes in the
situation in the Taiwan Strait.
(By Deborah Kuo)                
ENDITEM/c
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