TAIPEI, Taiwan, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Taiwan officials have urged the public to give up one cup of milk tea every week to save money for the government to buy weapons to defend the island.
The Ministry of National Defense made a new attempt Tuesday to lobby support from legislators for its nearly $18 billion arms procurement budget, appealing to the public to cut down on one cup of tea per week, the Taipei Times reported Wednesday.
"If everyone in the country saves their money by drinking less tea, the government will have enough money to buy advanced weapons to defend the nation," a ministry statement said.
President Chen Shui-bian urged the public to support the idea, saying that tense cross-strait relations made it necessary for Taiwan to be better armed.
The plea implies that the government may raise taxes to pay for the arms deal, the paper said. But opposition legislators, who oppose the government's planned purchase of advanced U.S. weapons, immediately spoke out against the plan.
