Ma's US trip comes amid tension over Taiwan's slow progress toward a major arms deal with the United States that has repeatedly been blocked by the KMT-controlled parliament.
"The policy on the part of the KMT is quite clear. We support reasonable purchase of arms from the United States. We need adequate defense capabilities," Ma said.
Taiwan's ruling party initially sought approval for a 19 billion dollar arms package to be purchased over 15 years, but has since scaled back the amount.
Ma blamed the delay of the deal, approved by the US side in 2001, on the ruling party, saying it had submitted the budget proposal only in 2004.
"Last year should be considered the first year for blocking the process. And actually the 55 times of blocking effectively cut the price tag from 18 billion to 10.2 billion, saving the people of Taiwan a lot of money," he said.
LOL. The DPP didn't submit the package until 2004 because the US didn't give them any cost numbers on it until 2002, and the Ministry of National Defense procurement process, which normally takes about 18 months, had to grind through. The man is a total liar. Is there no one in the audience who will call him on this?
And the logic here is absurd. Is Ma saying that they blocked it 50 times because the DPP was late? What a crock! And Reuters still loves this wrong comment:
China and Taiwan separated after a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still considers the island part of its territory and has threatened to retake the island by force if it moves towards independence.
China and Taiwan were never together. It was China and the KMT who separated in 1949. Can we get that one fixed too? I think the best part of it is this one:
If the KMT is able to come back to power in 2008, we certainly will resume the interrupted negotiations based on the '92 consensus, namely one China, different interpretations," Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou said.
Recently one of the KMT members involved in formulating the the "92 Consensus" admitted that it was a lie and there wasn't one. Ma says he will begin negotiations based on a consensus that doesn't exist. Sure.
[Taiwan] [US] [China] [Bush] [Chen Shui-bian] [Ma Ying-jeou] [Taiwan Independence] [Taiwan Relations Act (TRA)] [US Foreign Policy]
1 comment:
The DPP didn't submit the package until 2004 because the US didn't give them any cost numbers on it until 2002, and the Ministry of National Defense procurement process, which normally takes about 18 months, had to grind through.
I didn't know that. Thanks.
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