‘STRONG SHIELD’:Deputy Minister of National Defense Liu Chen-wu said Taiwan’s armed forces provide a bulwark to pursue cross-strait peace and regional stability
Taipei Times
Date: Oct 07, 2015
By: William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON
Deputy Minister of National Defense Liu Chen-wu (劉震武) is pleading with the US to
Deputy Minister of National Defense Liu Chen-wu speaks at the 14th annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia, yesterday. He said he is optimistic about the US selling more weapons to Taiwan. Photo: CNA
provide more weapons for Taiwan’s defense.
“That is how we can prevent the People’s Republic of China from recklessly starting a war and further deter threats,” Liu told the 14th annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia, on Monday.
Liu asked the US to continue to observe the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances” and continue to provide defensive weapons and technical support for both hardware and software.
“In terms of hardware, please continue to provide major weapons and platforms for joint counter air, joint sea control and joint homeland defense operations, including advanced fighters and diesel-electric submarines,” he said.
While the conference was closed to the media, a copy of Liu’s speech was made available.
Sources said that senior Pentagon officials at the conference were sympathetic to Liu’s appeals, but said in private talks that weapon sales to Taiwan were a political issue and subject to White House decision making. [FULL STORY]
