Taipei, Oct. 26 (CNA) American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Taipei Office Director Stephen Young called Thursday for Taiwan's legislature to pass the defense budget and various arms procurement packages this autumn, in one of the strongest and clearest messages AIT has publicly expressed in years.
"Act now to pass the robust defense budget this fall. Don't do it for the United States. Do it for Taiwan, " Young said in his second public press conference since he took office in March.
Young returned from Washington in early October after meeting senior officials in the White House, State Department, Defense Department and Congress.
"As an indispensable partner of Taiwan, the U.S. needs to speak its mind, " Young said, claiming that the U.S. is the only country willing to help Taiwan with arms sales according to Taiwan's defensive needs.
Taiwan needs to pass the robust defense budget, which will increase from 2.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) this year to 3 percent in 2008, in the legislative session this autumn, he said.
The next concrete step is that the long-stalled arms procurement package "should pass through the Procedure Committee in the Legislative Yuan so an open debate can begin, " he said.
It has been five years since U.S. President George W. Bush approved the sale of the arms package to Taiwan in April 2001, Young said, adding that China has never stopped its military buildup during that period.
"The gap between Taiwan and China in terms of military capability has been growing, " he went on.
Young said that now is the best time to pass the arms bill and defense budget because the U.S. will be reviewing its commitments and policies after the presidential election in 2008 and a new administration takes office.
The U.S. wants to help Taiwan with its defense not to "alienate Taiwan and China" but in the belief that a stronger Taiwan will "allow Taiwan to discuss political issues with China without fear of threat or coercion, " he said.
The de facto U.S. ambassador said he has met with major political figures since returning from Washington. Prior to meeting opposition People First Party Chairman James Soong the previous day, he met with President Chen Shui-bian, Premier Su Tseng-chang, opposition Kuomintang Chairman Ma Ying-jeou, former President Lee Teng-hui, Defense Minister Lee Jye, Foreign Affairs Minister James Huang and
Legislative Speaker Wang jyng-ping.