HONG KONG, July 24 (UPI) -- In terms of Taiwan's general strategic posture, the military machinery that the Kuomintang -- Nationalist Party -- inherited after winning the general election recently is, in fact, in a state of crisis. Taiwan's military buildup has been neglected for eight years, with military spending decreasing year by year except for a slight increase in 2008.

Over the past eight years the only major military equipment that Taiwan's government has acquired is the Keelung -- KIDD -- Class DDGs, or guided-missile destroyers. During the same eight years, however, China's People's Liberation Army has been acquiring third-generation fighters at a rate of two combat regiments each year -- one regiment of J-11 serial fighters and one regiment of J-10A fighters.

The People's Republic of China's navy also has been expanding its fleet, building or importing one 6,000-ton-plus large surface warship each year. It also has commissioned 052B, 052C, 051C and 956EM DDGs from 2001 to 2008.

In addition, the People's Liberation Army's T-99G and T-96G main battle tanks have undergone two major upgrades in the last eight years, a pace much faster than those of neighboring Japan and South Korea.

China's weapons of mass destruction include new cruise missiles and new-generation DF-21C SSMs -- surface-to-surface missiles -- that have been constantly added to its stockpiles. China's supply of short-range SSMs also has been increasing at a rate of 50 to 100 missiles per year. Moreover, from 2001 to 2008 the People's Republic of China's navy has commissioned four more SSN submarines and SSBN ballistic missile submarines.