Taiwan's Premier Says U.S. Arms Needed Taiwan's Premier Says U.S. Arms Needed As Deterrent Against China, As Opponents March in Capital The Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan Sept. 25, 2004 — Taiwan's premier said Saturday that a government plan to spend billions of dollars on U.S. weapons would help the island defend itself if rival China attacked, as thousands of protesters marched in the capital to denounce the deal. The government wants to buy $18 billion worth of arms, including anti-missile systems, planes and diesel-electric submarines.A civil war split the two sides in 1949. China has threatened to take the island...