Be careful partner, and stay safe.
Godspeed to you and yours!
From Mutter's- Putin planning on visiting China, also this:
Taiwan PM vows to retaliate Chinese attacks amid anti-arms deal protest
TAIPEI (AFP) Sep 25, 2004
Taiwan Premier Yu Shyi-kun on Saturday vowed to retaliate should China launch missile attacks against the island as thousands of Taiwanese took to the streets to protest against the government's massive arms package.
"You (China) have the capability to destroy me and Taiwan should have the capability to counter. You strike me with 100 missiles and I should at least strike back with 50," Yu told a gathering of government officials.
"You strike Taipei and Kaohsiung and I shall strike Shanghai. This way Taiwan will be safe," he added.
Yu's rebuff, his strongest ever, came as thousands of people rallied in the rains against the government's plans for an 18 billion US dollar arms deal they say will lead to an arms race with rival China.
"Refuse raising debts to purchase weaponry," chanted protestors, while marching towards the Presidential Office.
"I think the government should focus on improving the sluggish economy instead of spending so much money on buying weapons," Huang Chung-chang, a 42-year-old engineer who marched with his two children, told AFP.
A "love and peace" concert is scheduled to take place outside the Presidential Office in the evening. Organizers expected more than 10,000 people to take part of the rally but police estimated a turnout of about half that.
Many protestors also held cups of "bubble milk tea," a popular drink in Taiwan, to mock the defense ministry's "drinking less bubble milk tea for arms procurement" advertisement campaign.
The ministry drew criticism after it called on the public to consume less bubble milk tea to save money for the mass arms spending.
Taiwan's cabinet on June 2 approved the special budget of 610.8 billion Taiwan dollars (18.2 billion US) to purchase weaponry from the United States. It is pending final approval by parliament.
It has stirred up heated debate on the island with critics, including about 170 retired generals, warning the hefty military spending would further provoke China and heighten cross-Strait tensions.
Others worry the government would be forced to raise debts or cut social welfare and education budgets for the arms deal.
Taiwan's opposition leader Lien Chan also voiced his disapproval of the special defense budget during a party gathering on Saturday.
"Such a hefty arms procurement should not be handled recklessly and we think it's time to slash military spending and put more money into public welfare," he said.
The arms package includes eight diesel-powered submarines, a modified version of the Patriot anti-missile system and a fleet of anti-submarine aircraft over a 15-year period beginning in 2005.
The government has defended the arms deal by stressing the growing military threats from China.
China regards Taiwan as a part of its territory awaiting to be reunified despite their split in 1949 after a civil war.
www.spacewar.com/2004/040...v9x7u.html