Taiwan rejects arms cut for Chinese missile pullout

[dArKeR]

TAIPEI, (AFP) - Taiwan has rejected a reported proposal carried in a pro-Beijing Hong Kong newspaper that it stop receiving advanced weaponry from Washington in return for China withdrawing missiles aimed at the island.

The Wen Wei Po newspaper reported Monday that China would be willing to pull out hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan if Washington stopped selling high-tech military hardware to the island.

"(This) is intended to reduce or even cut off US arms sales to Taiwan, tipping the military balance in favor of communist China," Taiwan's defense ministry spokesman Huang Suey-sheng told reporters.

Taiwan's government spokesman Chen Chi-mai also rejected the reported proposal on the grounds that China was pursuing an arms build-up which threatened the island.

"China's military spending has risen at a double-digit rate each year...their military spending last year amounted to between 50 billion US dollars and 70 billion US dollars," Chen said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1530&ncid=2069&e=1&u=/afp/20040608/wl_asia_afp/taiwan_china_us_military

[dArKeR]

1. Cabinet dismisses missile proposal

By Ko Shu-ling
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004,Page 1

The Cabinet and the Ministry of Defense yesterday dismissed a proposal by China to withdraw its missiles as a trick aimed at preventing the US government from selling arms to Taiwan.

"Instead of using the media to spread rumors, why don't they sit down and talk with us about how to develop a military trust mechanism and how to create a peaceful and stable environment across the Strait," Cabinet Spokesman Chen Chi-mai (???) said.

Chen made the remark in response to a report in the pro-China Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po that claimed Beijing would consider withdrawing ballistic missiles deployed along its southeast coast if the US government stops selling advanced weapons to Taiwan.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2004/06/09/2003174333

[bemildred]

2. As well they should. nt