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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Taiwan plans to buy 'four warships from US' |
| 2012-04-24 |
| AFP - Taiwan plans to purchase four warships from the United States as part of the island's efforts to modernise its forces and offset the perceived military threat from China, local media reported on Sunday. The defence ministry briefed President Ma Ying-jeou on the proposed arms deal during a meeting last month and is prepared to set aside the budget next year, the United Daily News said, without specifying the cost. If finalised, the arms deal will increase to 12 the total number of such warships owned by Taiwanese navy. The four Perry-class frigates, separately built in the 1980s and to be retired by the US navy lately, are aimed to replace the Taiwan navy's fleet of eight Knox-class frigates, the daily said. Ties between Taiwan and its former rival China have improved drastically since Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang party became president in 2008 promising to boost trade and tourism links. Ma was elected for a second term in January. China however still claims illusory sovereignty over Taiwan, which has governed itself since 1949, and has vowed to get it back -- by force if necessary -- even though the island has ruled itself for more than 60 years. China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island declare formal independence, prompting Taipei to seek more advanced weapons, largely from the United States. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #4 Gromky, maybe it's the Kuomintang that has the long plan - return and rule! (Peanut's revenge) |
| Posted by: Spot 2012-04-24 07:54 |
| #3 China isn't going to invade. Taiwan will slowly, slowly integrate with the mainland, but it will take 50 years. There is all sorts of investment going on both ways, and recently direct flights and individual tours were permitted. China, master of long-term planning, is willing to wait. |
| Posted by: gromky 2012-04-24 03:41 |
| #2 Taiwan, like a few other loyal US allies are hanging on by a thread, while We continue to rot to the point where we are no longer recognizable on the World stage...Bwa-hahahahaha... Psst..there might still be hope....................... |
| Posted by: canalzone 2012-04-24 00:55 |
| #1 Lack of numbers aside, the eight KNOX-class should be more than equal to anything the PLAN has currently. The above being said, the greatest single threat to Taiwan stems from China's large Airborne + Commando forces [conventional first strike + follow-on] as due to China's doctrinal + political willingness to tolerate prohibitive combat casualties in exchange for decisive "airhead/bridgehead" tactical success. China desires TAIWAN + DAOYUS, ETC. FOR LR PLAAF, PLAN, + SECOND ARTY-BASED STRATEGIC POWER PROJECTION IN SUPPORT OF ITS CURRENT + FUTURE "POST-US" STATUS - IFF IT CAN'T DO SO, IT WILL NUKE TAIWAN AS MANY TIMES AS NECESSARY TO KEEP THE US-ALLIES FROM USING IT AGZ CHINA. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-04-24 00:24 |