Taipei, July 11 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said on Tuesday that the United States should continue to provide Taiwan with essential defensive weapons so as to help ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait.
During a meeting with former US Senator Robert Dole (R-Kansas) at the Presidential
Office, Chen said a peaceful Taiwan Strait is not only in the interests of the Republic of China, it also benefits the United States' interests in the West Pacific. He added that seeking peace and security in the Taiwan Strait requires creativity and wisdom.
Weighing the development of a military buildup across the Taiwan Strait, Chen said it is necessary that the United States continues to provide Taiwan with essential weapons sufficient to allow the island to defend itself.
The president offered Dole his sincere appreciation for the staunch support that Dole showed for the ROC during his 36 years as a member of the US Congress. Chen also said that he was moved by the firm friendship that the US Congress has shown to the new ROC government, manifested in the fact that Congress has demonstrated no less support for Taiwan than it did during the administration of the former ruling Kuomintang.
He continued that the ROC and the United States have maintained traditionally close ties for decades and expressed belief that the close relations will not be altered, whoever is elected the new president of the United States in November this year.
Dole for his part seconded Chen's call that Washington should help meet Taiwan's defense needs by selling more advanced defensive weapons to the island based on the Taiwan Relations Act. He praised the people of the ROC for demonstrating the fully- fledged democracy reflected in the March 18 presidential election. He added that his stance of supporting Taiwan will never change and said he would continue to do his best to cement bilateral ties between the United States and Taiwan.