Taiwan’s President Asks American Assistance To Close Arms Gap with China
Ma Ying-jeou (washingtonpost.com)
Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou said on Wednesday that the United States should get involved in providing the state he runs with the defense capabilities necessary to cover the gap with the neighboring China.
His remark, made in front of an American business group, comes after the Chinese government promised to invest more than 12 percent of its domestic gross product in weaponry.
The military buildup of the Chinese regime, the second largest economy in the world, is a reason for concern for both Taiwan and the United States of America, a traditional ally of the tiny island that has broken away from China when the mainland China became a Communist regime.
Taiwan-U.S. Arms Procurement (nosint.blogspot.com)
Obama administration signed off a sales package of $6.4 billion to Taiwan, but has not delivered a series of weapons the ally nation had requested, such as F-16 jet fighters.
Given that the balance of power in the region is tipped toward China, the president said, Taiwan wouldn’t want to be the security liability in the area, but a cornerstone of regional peace and stability.
In order to become such a cornerstone, Taiwan wishes to continue cooperating with the United States, including in the field of arms procurement.
China strongly opposes the relations of Taiwan with the U.S., especially when it comes to military procurement.
Taiwan considers China a threat in spite of the fact that the ties were thawed recently and economic relations have been resumed.11
