Taiwan armed forces to be alert to Chinese threat

Taipei Times ^ | 6/27/02 | Brian Hsu

[Enemy Of The State]

Chen tells armed forces to be alert to Chinese threat

By Brian Hsu
STAFF REPORTER

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday asked the military not to be confused by the false impression of peace in the Taiwan Strait that China has created during recent years.

"The military should not slack off in its preparations for combat," Chen said as he delivered an address at a promotion ceremony for military officials raised in rank to one-star or two-star generals.

"The false impression of peace in the Taiwan Strait that China has created is growing in its influence upon the people in Taiwan. People have become less able to distinguish between the enemy and the friend," Chen said.

"We must remember that China is still the biggest threat to Taiwan.

"It has yet to renounce the use of force against Taiwan," he said.

"China's national prowess has been greatly strengthened in recent years. And its defense budget is increasing by double-digit [percentages] each year."

In response, Chen said, the military has to develop combat capabilities that can handle the growing threat from China in the future.

Chen gave the speech in his capacity as the commander of the armed forces.

A total of 46 military officials were promoted to the rank of major general, or rear admiral in the navy, and lieutenant general, or vice admiral in the navy.

It was the fifth promotion ceremony that Chen has attended since taking office in May, 2000.

The promotion ceremony was initially scheduled to take place on July 1, but was moved to yesterday because Chen is planning to go to Africa on July 1.

The arrangement was made apparently to avoid requiring Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) from overseeing the ceremony on behalf of Chen, which has never happened before.

[Enemy Of The State]

"(陳水扁)"

Oops!!...FR doesn't Display Chinese characters very well..hehe

[Squantos]

FYI

Stay Safe !

[RightWhale]

&#38515

Will my MSFT browser display characters with such large numbers? I think mine goes only to #255 unless MSFT has secretly upgraded this machine.

[Jeff Head]

Sounds like Chen is preparing for a little ...

DRAGON'S FURY
The Story of the Coming World War

[Travis McGee]

I think that China is following our Iraq movements with eager anticipation of US over reach.

[Jeff Head]

No doubt. That is one of the major premises behind "Breath of Fire".

But I bet they'd have their N. Korean friends go south too before they personally let the balloons fly.

[Travis McGee]

That's possible. The DRKP might try the "Seoul Snatch", the world's largest "hostage taking operation" in history.

[Travis McGee]

I meant North Korea, what do they call themselves? The DPRK?

[Travis McGee]

Ugliness all over. US loses lots of ships in Taiwan Straits, Seoul is possibly over run and held hostage, Russia, God only knows. Neutral perhaps? Resupplying China arms as it can?

This is why I am NOT gung ho for an Iraq invasion: perhaps we can handle Iraq, but what if China and North Korea use it as their window of maximum opportunity?

[Jeff Head]

I've written my thoughts in a book, actually a series.

Its fiction, but it raises just this scenario.

Answer ... simple. World War III.

See post number five.

[Jeff Head]

what if China and North Korea use it as their window of maximum opportunity?

What if China makes an unholy, behind the scenes deal with the Islamic fundmanetal Mations (ala Nazi Germany and Russia in the late 1930's) to force just this scenario? IOW, Iraw/Iran/Syria force us into it first ... and once we're good and engaged, N. Korea goes south and then when we try and respond to that, then China goes for Taiwan and a WHOLE lot more.

[Squantos]

That was a fear the last time........ Now they have had time to review part one of "Iraqi Attacky" and may as you say feel froggy..........

Stay Safe !

[Myrddin]

The North Korean army will be expunged...along with all our troops in the DMZ if they ever attempt to overrun the south. China doesn't have the logistics to perform an invasion of Taiwan. Their only hope is destruction by missiles or naval guns. They can certainly clear a path for their putrid naval forces with anti-ship missiles. They might also choose a total blockade (air/sea) to starve them into submission. The U.S. would be foolish to leave our carriers exposed to anti-ship missiles in the Taiwan strait. Better to have our subs eliminate the Chinese navy first.

I agree that the Chinese are probably counting on the Middle East to over extend the U.S. military as a prelude to having a shot at taking Taiwan. Looking back on Desert Storm, we had months to build up the logistics to carry off that mission. We also had full support from neighboring Islamic countries. Somehow, I think we are facing a "them and us" face off with the arab islamists this time around.

[Travis McGee]

It sure is high stakes poker.

[harpseal]

This is why I am NOT gung ho for an Iraq invasion: perhaps we can handle Iraq, but what if China and North Korea use it as their window of maximum opportunity?

Given the current state of the US military our armed forces are not large enough to handle an invasion of Iraq, with simultaneous trouble in Korea, the Taiwan strait, and/or any other relatively large scale conflict that may evolve. We do not have a six hundred ship Navy and our Air Force does not have unlimited fighters and attack aircraft. Our tanks are the best in the world (at last check) but there are not enough to cover all these areas.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[Lake]

>>China's puppet N.Korea attacks the south

1)N Korea is not capable of going south without China's help. 2)China gains nothong from the destruction of S Korea. 3)A unified Korea is not in the Chinese interets. 4)N Korea is much more hostile to China than S Korea. 5)No one in China today wants to die for N Korea. They have learned a lesson from the Vietnam war and the Vietnamese turned agaisnt China right after they took South Vietnam.