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Beijing (AFP) Oct 13, 2010 China on Wednesday called for talks with Taiwan on military issues "in due course", as the self-ruled island and former foe announced it was developing an unmanned surveillance aircraft. "We advocate that both sides get in touch and exchange views on military issues, including military deployment, in due course and in an appropriate manner," said Yang Yi, spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office. He told reporters that China wanted to "probe establishing a cross-Strait military security mutual trust mechanism to help stabilise the situation in the Taiwan Strait and ease military security concerns." Taiwan said Tuesday it had started research on drones, which are remotely piloted and perform reconnaissance and attack missions, indicating that its arms race with China had not ended despite improving ties. China and Taiwan split in 1949 after a civil war but Beijing still considers the self-ruled island part of its territory awaiting reunification. Ties between the two have improved markedly since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou came into power in 2008, but China still refuses to renounce the possibility of using force should the island declare independence. Taiwan's Premier Wu Den-yih said Wednesday during a parliamentary session that the timing was not yet right to discuss a military mutual trust mechanism or political issues with China. "Both sides should not set any prerequisites or additional conditions in order to truly build mutual trust," he said, adding the focus should remain on economic issues for the time being. Ma stressed over the weekend that the island would keep buying arms from the United States as it cannot rely solely on improving relations with China to ensure its security. US arms sales to Taiwan led to the suspension of Chinese-US military exchanges for months. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his Chinese counterpart Liang Guanglie held fence-mending talks in Vietnam on Tuesday.
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Taiwan to keep buying arms despite warmer China ties: MaTaipei (AFP) Oct 10, 2010 Taiwan will keep buying arms abroad as it cannot rely just on improving ties with Beijing for security, President Ma Ying-jeou said Sunday, urging China to withdraw missiles pointed at the island. "Of course, for Taiwan's security we cannot place our hopes only on improved relations with China," Ma said in a National Day address in central Taipei. "Therefore, it is our necessary and unal ... read more |
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