Taiwan Plans To Buy US-Made Attack Choppers
by Staff Writers
Taipei (AFP) April 11, 2007
Taiwan plans to purchase 30 advanced Apache attack helicopters from
the United States in the face of a mounting military threat from
rival China, a defence official said Wednesday. The deal would
require the approval of the United States, the island's leading
arms supplier despite a lack of diplomatic relations between the
two countries.
Beijing strongly objects to any arms sales from Washington to
Taiwan, which it regards as part of its territory awaiting
reunification, by force if necessary.
"The attack helicopter deal has been under evaluation," defence
ministry spokesman Major-general Wu Chi-fang told AFP, declining to
provide details on the sensitive issue.
The Taipei-based China Times reported Wednesday that defence
minister Lee Jye had approved two arms packages for an estimated
230 billion Taiwan dollars (6.95 billion US).
This includes 92.4 billion dollars for 30 Boeing attack
helicopters, along with the 140 billion-dollar acquisition of 90
transport helicopters to replace the army's ageing UH-1H fleet, one
of which crashed into a radio tower last week, killing all eight
army officers on board.
The defence ministry immediately ordered the grounding of all
remaining choppers of the same model for safety checks.
However, Wu said the reported proposal for transport helicopters
was still on the drawing board.
Major General Huang Yi-li from the defence ministry told reporters
Tuesday that the UH-1H fleet would be gradually retired in 10 years
beginning 2008.
Taiwan has been seeking more advanced weaponry amid Beijing's
repeated threats to invade.
In a wide-ranging interview with CNN in January, Taiwan's President
Chen Shui-bian accused China of provoking the island by targeting
it with nearly 1,000 missiles.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated since the
independence-leaning leader was elected president in 2000. He was
narrowly re-elected in 2004.
http://www.sinodaily.com/reports/Taiwan_Plans_To_Buy_US_Made_Attack_Choppers_999.html
