* Taiwan spent many years in clandestine pursuit of nuclear weapons. A variety of historical articles are available here.

* [2006-05-12] Legislative committee to investigate nuclear budget
Taiwan GIO

* [2006-05-03] Editorial: 'Nuclear-free' is best energy option
Taiwan News

August 7, 2004

Taiwan considering reviving nuclear weapons program

There are signs that Taiwan is out to gauge world reactions towards a revival of the nuclear programme it brought to an abrupt halt in 1988. Professor Chung Chien, of the Atomic Science Faculty of Taiwan's National Tsinghua University, said Taipei has thought seriously about reviving its nuclear programme for 'effective deterrence and reinforced defence'. He detailed such a proposal in his book, Ground Zero, Zero Hour, published in March.

On Jan 6, the Jamestown Foundation, a neo-conservative American think-tank known for its anti-China stance, published an article comparing the nuclear programme in Taiwan with that in North Korea. Mr John Tkacik, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, wrote in the very first paragraph: 'There are interesting parallels between North Korea's current nuclear weapons programme and Taiwan's nuclear ambitions. In both cases, a weapons programme was discovered, dismantled and secretly restarted. In both cases, the International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring was inadequate and easily circumvented. In both cases, a major power threatened military action unless the nuclear weapons programme was dismantled.' The sting is in the phrase 'secretly restarted'. Could it be that the well-connected Mr Tkacik had, on purpose or unintentionally, revealed a Taiwanese secret that the US might have knowledge about?

Another scholar, Mr Derek Mitchell, a senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, has identified six scenarios in which Taiwan could justify going nuclear. These include: the military gap between the two sides widening to an extent that Taiwan feels compelled to own a decisive weapon that can even the balance; and a perceived reduction in the overall US defence commitment to Taiwan. According to him, Taiwan has advanced nuclear expertise but has kept it on hold. 'Much of the basic technology already exists on the island, it needs only a political directive to be put into motion,' Mr Mitchell said. 'If the political will were there, existing weapon-grade material could be weaponised in three to four months', he says. 'If Taiwan were abandoned by the US, it would take no more than a year to build a reprocessing plant for the plutonium that might be burned at a fast rate in its civilian nuclear power reactors. To him, this 'nuclear card' is meant to send a message, first to the US not to abandon Taiwan, and next, to China to beware of pushing the island too hard.

[Source: Ching Cheong, "Talk of nuclear risk in Taiwan conflict; Chinese military journals have said such weapons may be used; Taiwan said to be keen on reviving stalled nuke programme", The Straits Times, August 7, 2004]

* China discusses use of tactical nukes in Taiwan conflict

Taiwan - proposed US arms sale, including anti-missile technology, protested by China

Beijing's protests escalated last week when in a telephone conversation with President Bush, Chinese President Hu Jintao demanded that the sale of advanced weapons to Taiwan cease. Mr Hu told Mr Bush the Taiwan issue was 'very sensitive' and China would 'absolutely not tolerate Taiwan independence'. Earlier last month, Mr Bush's National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice got the same message when she visited Beijing. The Chinese embassy in Washington, which rarely addresses the press, called in reporters to reiterate the point. Adm Fargo heard similar lectures in Beijing. In addition, the government-controlled Chinese press has thundered that the Taiwan Relations Act, under which the arms sales will be made, was a 'ridiculous law' that allows the US to interfere with China's internal affairs.

The immediate cause for Chinese belligerence is the negotiations between Washington and Taipei over US$18 billion (S$31 billion) worth of destroyers with advanced weapons and diesel-electric submarines for use in the 193km-wide Taiwan Strait. Missiles, including anti-missile missiles intended to counter 550 Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan, would be in the package. President Bush has approved the sale but Taiwan's legislature has yet to appropriate funds and has been haggling over costs. US officials warn privately that Taiwan must do more to help itself if it is to retain American support and should not leave its defence to the US.

[Source: Richard Halloran (former New York Times foreign correspondent in Asia), "China-Taiwan row: US shows air and sea might in Pacific", The Straits Times, August 7, 2004]

prior

* Taiwan - n-plant referendum by March 20, 2004