Should we continue to arm Taiwan?

[lsquare]

Ma made a recent speech stating they don't want US interference, but will continue to buy arms. I guess I can post the article to that in a new thread.

It doesn't matter what he says. Ma is a realist. If the mainland were to invade today, I can guarantee you he would request US military assistance. Remember, he's a politician. He'll change his stance to suit circumstances either to remain in power or to protect Taiwan's de-facto independence.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Looks like the PRC is getting edgy about US trade with the ROC again. They have "asked" yet again that we cease arming Taiwan.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011...E7260MT20110307?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

The United States will put improved relations with Beijing at risk if it does not stop selling arms to Taiwan, China's Foreign Minister said on Monday.

In other news, looks like there is going to be more friction in the Sino-Taiwanese relations, looks like a Chinese general has sold secrets to China and got busted.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=133630100

Taiwan has detained a major general on charges of providing military secrets to China, the defense ministry said Wednesday. Analysts said he may have compromised a vital military communications network that uses U.S. technology.

The case is the most serious Taiwanese spy scandal in decades and could make the U.S. reluctant to share military technology with Taiwan.

Taiwan has been infiltrated to the point where it is concerning that some of said arms technology might fall in the hands of the PRC.

Considering the PRC is expanding their military budget, Taiwan might be wishing to stock up soon as well.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/22611/?SID=0d458ae95bf86655bc52de2ddda06fc3

China said Friday it plans to raise its defense budget by 12.7 percent to 601 billion yuan (91.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2011, compared with an increase of 7.5 percent last year.

The question is, is helping ensure the (de facto) sovereignty of the ROC worth the risk of technology following into the hands of red agents and the strained relations with our largest economic partner, the PRC?

I must admit I am torn on this. But, for the moment, I must side with Taiwan and help ensure their freedom by providing them the necessary arms to deter an unprovoked attack.

 

[bfdd]

You'd be surprised how many young Taiwanese consider themselves Taiwanese and not Chinese.

I know a few.

You'd be surprised at how many young Chinese believe Taiwan is part of China.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You'd be surprised at how many young Chinese believe Taiwan is part of China.

You mean mainlanders? Perhaps.

I have enough friends in the US that are born here too just like me and we call ourselves Taiwanese. Yes the distinction matters.

I could not agree with you more. While I have no idea what Taiwan's actual military strength is, I wouldn't be surprised that it has the capability to defend itself. While it may not win an outright war with the mainland, I believe it has the capacity to slow down any PLA advance until the US military arrive.

Thank god for the Taiwan Strait. If it wasn't for that body of water, the PLA would easily overwhelm Taiwan thanks to its size. I was in Taiwan last year and the entire city of Taipei was shut down for close to half an hour during last July as there was a military drill (not sure if it was the airforce or not, but I would assume it was because of the noise in the iar).

Nonetheless, you didn't address the issues of missiles. While no one knows for sure how many missiles the PRC have aimed at Taiwan, one can safely assume that it's a significant number. The PRC can just fire away and cause massive civilian casualties. Having said that, this doesn't necessarily make it easier to invade Taiwan, but it further drives down the fear to the Taiwanese not to miscalculate. This can be said to the PRC as well. If they miscalculate, they will pay a heavy price as well.

Missiles is just like the NK case in artillery. NK artillery could flatten Seoul in minutes. Except Kim is a madman and Hu has a little more sense of wisdom than to wage that kind of war immediately. I see the missiles as a last resort thing... well at least using them to inflict mass casualties. It's more about strategic targets at first, and if China can't get its military to establish a hold on the beach to ferry more troops over, then the missiles might very well come into play.

 

[bfdd]

You mean mainlanders? Perhaps.

I have enough friends in the US that are born here too just like me and we call ourselves Taiwanese. Yes the distinction matters.

Of course I'm talking mainlanders. I know the distinction.

 

[Schadenfroh]

You'd be surprised at how many young Chinese believe Taiwan is part of China.

When fresh graduate students from the PRC arrive, they think Taiwan is like Hong Kong or Macau. Either that or imperialist westerners have innocent Chinese enslaved and that the PRC should liberate Taiwan from the western puppets.

Also, the stuff about Tiananmen Square is exaggerated or lies.

 

[llee]

i dont care who you support, treating china like a 3rd world country isn't going to help the us defeat them militarily.