Taiwan president calls for strong military

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 15 (UPI) -- Taiwan needs a stronger military to deter China from reaching across the strait, President Chen Shui-bian said Thursday.

In remarks at a promotion ceremony for Admiral Chen Kuo-hsiang, chief of the Political Warfare Bureau, Chen called for an improvement in military morale and capability, the Central News Agency reported. He said China has embarked on a legal and psychological offensive.

The president said Beijing increased military spending by more than 20 percent last year, the biggest hike in a decade. He called for an "iron force" in Taiwan that would be strong enough to discourage China from any thoughts of invasion.