Taiwan and Israel

Lung-chu Chen

After Chinese leader Jiang Jemin's recent visit to Israel, it was reported that Israel has decided to sell China at least one airplane equipped with an advanced airborne radar system. Once implemented, this sale would upset the military balance in the Taiwan Strait area, and significantly increase military threat to Taiwan.

Ever since its establishment after World War Ⅱ, Israel has been largely in armed confrontation with neighboring Arab countries, because of ethnic and religious differences. The people of Israel have impressed the world with their unity and courage in resisting outside military pressures.

Taiwan is similar to Israel in a fundamental way. As a small island nation, Taiwan has been living under the continuing military threats of China. During the recent presidential election, the Taiwanese people showed their courage in resisting the Chinese military intimidation and won international admiration. After the long struggle for many decades, the Taiwanese people have moved their democracy a giant step forward and are in the process of effecting a peaceful transfer of power. Unfortunately, Israel, itself as a small nation under the constant outside military threats, has now acted to help China militarily by enhancing China's capacity to threaten and endanger Taiwan.

Most recently, the European Parliament passed a resolution, urging EU members and its commission to set up representative offices in Taiwan so as to foster closer relations between Taiwan and Europe. This was an affirmation of Taiwan's defense of its sovereignty and democracy. The democratic countries in the West are giving encouragement and applause to Taiwan's progress in democracy. We hope that the government of Israel will terminate its arms deal with China, involving airplanes equipped with an advanced airborne radar system. In this way, it would serve the cause of peace and democracy.