Wang Vows to Pass Arms Bill

Taiwan News reports that Wang Jin-pyng, Ma Ying-jeou's rival for KMT chairmanship, has promised to push the arms package through as soon as possible.

Speaking at a dinner party given in his honor by Taiwanese American community leaders in Washington, D.C. yesterday, Wang expressed worry that the balance of military power in the Taiwan Strait has tilted in China's favor because of China's military buildup in recent years. Wang said he will do whatever he can to persuade the ruling and opposition parties to sit and talk about the arms package in hopes of pushing it through the Legislature soon in the interest of cross-strait peace.

Li Ao, never one to miss a chance to act like a buffoon, promised he would sue President Bush:

In Taipei, Independent Legislator Lee Ao said at a press conference that he and his daughter, Lee Wen, who is an American citizen living in Beijing, will file lawsuits with the U.S. Federal Court by end of January against U.S. President George W. Bush for asking Taiwan to pay for weapons supplied by the United States under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Lee, a noted writer and historian, cited Section 2(b)(5) of the act as saying: "It is the policy of the United States to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character."

He claimed that the word "provide" means that the weapons supplied by the United States to Taiwan should be free. The purpose of the lawsuits is to demand Washington fulfill its commitment to Taiwan's security by providing defensive weapons "free of charge," he added..

Since Ma has promised to introduce a KMT version of the arms bill, and Wang has promised to get one passed, it appears that US entreaties are proving effective.

Wang made the remarks in the wake of a series meetings with State Department and Pentagon officials, in which Wang explained Taiwan's stance on the arms package and listened to their suggestions on cross-strait relations and what Taiwan should do to strengthen its defense capabilities.

[Taiwan] [US] [China] [US Foreign Policy]