Opposition pans U.S. scholar over arms purchase comments

Tawan News reports: Opposition pans U.S. scholar over arms purchase comments:

Opposition lawmakers yesterday dismissed criticism by a U.S. scholar who recently argued that the White House and the U.S. Congress should cut ties with what he called pro-China opposition parties if they persisted in blocking the arms package.

John Tkacik, a research fellow in Asian Studies at The Heritage Foundation, recently testified before the U.S. House of Representatives that "pro-China politicians" in Taiwan have been stalling the purchase of military weapons from the U.S. for selfish reasons.

The retired diplomat argued that the Bush administration and the Congress should quit contacts with pan-blue figures who, he noted, have falsely accused Washington of wanting to profit from the arms deal.

Tkacik, who maintains close ties with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, further urged Taiwan's Legislature to promptly approve the NT$480 billion military procurement, saying the country spends too little on national defense.

Tkacik, who works for the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, has produced a number of papers on China-Taiwan affairs.

[Taiwan] [China]