Taipei - Taiwan lawmakers voiced concern Monday about
the island's aircraft company's cooperation with a Chinese plane
manufacturer to develop passenger aircraft.
Lawmaker Lin Yu-fang from the ruling KMT party said the Aviation
Industry Development Corp (AIDC) built Taiwan's own Indigenous
Defence Fighter, and that 80 per cent of AIDC's business is related
to national defence.
'So AIDC must be very careful in in its corporation with China.
It should place national security above making money,' he said.
Lin demanded AIDC report to the parliament's defence committee
on its dealings with China.
Trong Chai, an opposition lawmaker, also blasted the firm for
moving too close to China and running the risk of divulging military
secrets to Beijing.
'AIDC must halt its cooperation with China immediately, or the
Democratic Progressive Party will lodge a strong protest with the
Economics Ministry,' he said.
On Monday, the China Times daily reported that AIDC plans to
join Shanghai-based AVICI Commercial Aircraft Co Ltd to develop the
190-seat C-919 passenger plane. The first plane is scheduled to be
launched in 2014.
AIDC's contacts with China would not only endanger Taiwan's'
security, but will also make the United States more reluctant to sell
F-16C/Ds to Taiwan, the newspaper said.
But AIDC spokesman Lee Shih-chang defended the tie-up as harmless,
and said company chairman Hsing You-kuang attended the 2009 Shanghai
Air Show last month.
'Besides AIDC, China also invited other foreign companies to
participate in developing C-919 passenger aircraft. The whole thing
is still in the planning stage. AIDC will not leak secrets as it will
only be a component supplier,' he said.
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