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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 PRC a fascist dictatorship: US legislator
US Representative Mario Diaz-Balart speaks in an interview with the Voice of America that was posted online on Sunday. Photo: screen grab from Voice of America’s X account
CHINESE THREAT: To deter Beijing from using military force against Taiwan, the US must facilitate the sales and delivery of weapons to Taiwan, Mario Diaz-Balart said
By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter
Describing China as the “largest fascist dictatorship” in the world, US Representative Mario Diaz-Balart urged his country to expedite arms deliveries to bolster Taiwan’s self-defense, Voice of America （VOA） reported on Sunday.
In an interview with VOA on Wednesday last week, the cochair of the US Congressional Taiwan Caucus warned against “the largest ... and the wealthiest fascist dictatorship on the planet.”
Faced with an “adversary” such as China, the US should utilize “every diplomatic economic tool in our disposal to treat China … in a very aggressive way in order to avoid war,” he said.
He called on the US and other countries, which are equally concerned about China’s “aggressive attitude,” to take concrete steps to confront the threats from Beijing to avoid war.
It is the US’ focus to “avoid China doing something stupid,” to hold it responsible and to deter its use of military force against Taiwan, he said.
To achieve that goal, the US should “make sure that Taiwan has everything it needs now” to help prevent the Chinese Communist Party from making a decision that would be catastrophic not only for Taiwan and the region, but also for the US and the whole world, including China itself, he said.
The US has to be more aggressive in its military sales to Taiwan, which is seeking to buy equipment from the US rather than asking for defense by US troops, he said.
As a member of the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations, Diaz-Balart said that the committee is negotiating a bill on foreign military financing for Taiwan — the first of its kind — which would allow the nation to purchase more weapons.
He repeatedly underlined the importance for Taiwan to obtain items it has purchased from the US as soon as possible.
Part of the reason for the delays is the US’ industrial base, which needs to be revamped to be able to deal with major confrontations, such as with China, he said.
“We [the US] need to do a lot more,” including sending the weaponry Taiwan needs, but also allocating sufficient defense spending domestically to maintain a sound military industrial base, he said.
“Taiwan is doing everything it can to discourage communist Chinese ... to intervene militarily, but there’s more that we can do on our side as well,” he said while speaking of his visit to a Taiwanese naval base in January.
Diaz-Balart, along with US Representative and caucus cochair Ami Bera, visited Taiwan shortly after the Jan. 13 presidential and legislative elections.
Taiwan is “a beacon of light in a difficult part of the world” and enjoys a very special relationship with the US that is based on the Taiwan Relations Act promulgated 45 years ago, he said.
The trip was to “demonstrate that we cherish and that we love democracy and freedom,” he said, praising Taiwan as an example of a vigorous democracy with “an aggressive free press” and parties.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
