Letter to the editor

Austin American-Statesman,

March 31, 2001

Dear Editor:

The March 23, 2001 article, "Bush presses China for more freedom, downplays threats," deserves more discussion in arms sales to Taiwan.

I support Bush's strong position in reaffirming the Taiwan's legitimate request for buying defensive arms from the U.S. Taiwan only wants to protect her land and her people. These defensive arms are to balance China's recent invasive military actions at the west Pacific Ocean, such as buying advanced Russia submarines and fighters to strengthen it military power and targeting Taiwan's 23 million peace-loving people with 300 missiles. A long-term ally of the U.S. for more than 50 years, Taiwan and her people share the Americans' values of protecting human rights, and believe in democracy, religious freedom and speech freedom. They deserve
self-defense.

Bush's position in the arms sales is substantiated by the 12/18/00 Pentagon Report, Implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act. Sensing the military balance of west Pacific is leaning toward China, the Report concluded, "The United States takes its obligation to assist Taiwan maintaining a self-defense capability very seriously. This is not only because it is mandated by the U.S. law in the TRA, but also because it is in our own national interest. The Secretary of State, Colin Powell, also supported the same position.

Schiller Liao, Ph.D.
President, Formosan Association of Public Affairs (FAPA) -- Central Texas