'Taiwan must stockpile better weapons'

Taiwan's independence-leaning President Chen Shui-bian intensified on Monday calls for a massive arms build-up to thwart what he said was a growing military threat from China.
Speaking to a crowd gathered to celebrate the island's National Day, Chen also vowed to continue reforms launched since his Democratic Progressive Party seized power in the 2000 presidential polls.
Taiwan badly needed more sophisticated weapons to defend itself as China might not resolve the conflict with the island peacefully, Chen said. "Taiwan must not rely on some other countries to defend itself," he said, referring to the controversial 10 billion-dollar arms package approved by US President W. George Bush in 2001.
Beijing has deployed up to 730 ballistic missiles opposite Taiwan, repeatedly threatening to invade the island should it declare formal independence.