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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Taiwan official: We won't develop nuclear weapons |
| 2006-10-13 |
| A senior Taiwanese official said Thursday the island has no plans to develop a nuclear weapons capability of its own, despite claims of a successful nuclear test by regional neighbor North Korea earlier in the week. Monday's claimed North Korean test significantly raised Asian tensions, with many commentators suggesting it would set off a new nuclear arms race in the region. However, Joseph Wu, the chairman of Taiwan's Cabinet-level body in charge of relations with China, told The Associated Press that Taiwan will not develop a nuclear weapons capability, because to do so would ratchet up tensions with the communist mainland, its longtime political rival. "We won't develop our own nuclear bomb," Wu said. "Our best military option regarding China is to bolster our defensive missile capability." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #15 LiberalHawk Consider the english form of the ROC's national anthem that we were required to sing every morning after the US Pledge in elementary grades at Morrison Academy. (Taichung) San Min Ju Ee our aim shall be to found a free land world peace be our stand lead on comrades, vanguards ye are hold fast your aim by sun and star be earnest and brave your country to save one heart one soul one mind one goal |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-10-13 16:52 |
| #14 LiberalHawk If I was a betting man I would bet the bank on Taiwan having a few. That said they would never admit it. Don't forget the mountains in Taiwan are mainly granite and marble. If something is made above ground... why it is only good planning if a duplicate is made in deep under a mountain. Also, never forget how deep they hold (excuse the spelling) San Min Ju ee. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-10-13 16:21 |
| #13 if things get real bad, if Nkor really starts brandishing deliverable nukes, if China totally wimps out on trying to keep Kimmie on the leash, then Japan will probably build nukes. Once that happens, Taiwan can build nukes with far less opprobrium. If the above scenario does NOT pan out, and Taiwan builds nukes, Taiwan will look like its unilaterally changing the balance, and will piss off the US, and enrage China. So Taiwan has every incentive to do nothing till Japan jumps first. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2006-10-13 15:43 |
| #12 Again, wrong message to be sending the belligerent communists. Taiwan, understandably, wants to keep a low profile, but delaying this announcement would have introduced a little ambiguity, which could only have helped create uncertainty where it is most needed. The West continues to pander to China's communists. So long as we persist in doing this, we can only expect the politburo's Mandarins to laugh up their sleeves at such abject foolishness. Much like their Arab terrorist counterparts, crushing physical force or the threat thereof is all that they will respect. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-13 14:43 |
| #11 "A senior Taiwanese official said Thursday the island has no plans to develop a nuclear weapons Heh™ |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-10-13 14:22 |
| #10 We won't develop nuclear weapons Already have them? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-10-13 13:56 |
| #9 Why develop your own when you can buy them on eBay? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2006-10-13 10:59 |
| #8 Taiwan has 6 commercial power reactors and 2 more coming online. That's a lot of plutonium that can be lost in reprocessing. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-10-13 10:35 |
| #7 I sense an unspoken "Yet" in that statement. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-10-13 09:38 |
#6 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:The Republic of China (Taiwan) denies having chemical or nuclear weapons. During the 1970s, the ROC had an active program to produce plutonium using heavy water reactors, but after strong pressure from the United States, the reactor was dismantled and the U.S. impounded the unreprocessed waste from the reactor. There is no evidence that the ROC possesses any nuclear weapons or any current programs to produce them, although it does have the general technological level to develop the ability to enrich uranium or process plutonium. Sounds like they could get one in a hurry if they need it. |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-10-13 07:40 |
| #5 Taiwan has long since decided, it's better to "Go Red than Dead", with regards the Dragon breathing down it's neck. The penalty for aggression now fall with South Korea,Japan, and the US. The only way now to 'check' the Norks move is to Detente with the M.A.D. doctrine that worked well for the West during the Cold War years. Japan and South Korea should both declare that their nations will "Go Nuclear" unless the NORKS back down!! |
| Posted by: smn 2006-10-13 04:34 |
| #4 If the Japanese put the X-band radar on their southern most islands and move one of their Aegis-capable destroyers close to Taiwan, the US ABM shield would effectively include Taiwan. As an alternative, the Japanese could help the Taiwanese "upgrade the electronics" on one or more of their destroyers with the Japanese-developed equipment that permits interoperability with Aegis/ABM. Keeps the US out of the picture as far as electronic equipment transfers, and as long as it is formally defined by Japanese law as defensive, that does not violate Japanese arms export rules. But it certainly pokes a big fat dirty thumb in China's eye, and would serve as retaliation for not curbing China's dog, North Korea. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2006-10-13 02:10 |
| #3 SEAN HANNITY > PacRim/East Asian democratic nations + US allies, including TAIWAN, should all partcipate in Global GMD = should buy or have US systems emplaced in their countries. * CHINA will NOT do anything against NORTH KOREA unless all Asian democracies-moderates either possess nuclear weapons, or in the alternate have effective US-style BMD on their soil. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-10-13 01:34 |
| #2 That depends on what your definition of "defensive" is. |
| Posted by: W J Clinton 2006-10-13 00:44 |
| #1 "Our best military option regarding China is to bolster our defensive missile capability." How easy is it to modify 'defensive' missiles into 'offensive' missiles? |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2006-10-13 00:24 |