Published: Oct. 28, 1999
Source: China Times


Minister of National Defense Tang Fei yesterday said that the crucial measure of Taiwan's defense system is not how many days it could hold out, but whether or not it is capable of resisting the first wave of attack and inflicting so much damage on the enemy that the aggressor would think twice before launching an offensive.

He added that recently there have been fewer military maneuvers in the mainland, leading the MND to surmise that the PRC will not engage in military action against Taiwan before the presidential election on March 18 next year.

The Minister was at the Legislative Yuan yesterday, calling for national defense legislation to be prioritized within the current session. Opposition legislators expressed concern over foreign reports that mainland China could gain control over Taiwan within 45 minutes, and that Taiwan could at most only survive two weeks of battle.

Tang responded that because the ROC's resources are geographically concentrated, any war would cause serious damage. If a conflict with the PRC involved Taiwan island in addition to the ROC-controlled Kinmen and Matsu close to the mainland, the harm to the economy could be detrimental to Taiwan's defense capability.

Tang said that many countries, in particular the United States, Japan, and South Korea, are keeping an eye on developments in the Taiwan Strait. The MND conducts a daily evaluation of mainland China's latest troop movements, and meets with the National Security Council and Mainland Affairs Council every week to share information and coordinate policy.

Input from foreign information sources supports the premise that mainland China will not attack Taiwan before the presidential election, Tang said.

He added that so far, none of the three main presidential contenders have done anything that might provoke the PRC.