Taiwan CBW facts

TAIWAN

Chemical Weapons:
Taiwan has not ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Though Taiwan is believed to be pursuing a chemical weapons (CW) capability, little is known about the size or scope of the Taiwanese program. According to the Chemical Weapons Atlas put out by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: "The 1983 Special National Intelligence Estimate, cited in the Defense & Foreign Affairs Handbook, reported that Taiwan had 'an aggressive high-priority program to develop both offensive and defensive capabilities'- but that information was deleted from the declassified version."

Biological Weapons:
Taiwan is a member of the Biological Weapons Convention. Though Taiwan is a suspected proliferater of biological weapons (BW) and BW technology, the U.S. government has no conclusive evidence of a Taiwanese BW capability. Taiwan has a number of specialists involved in microbiology and biotechnology research, and could conceivably pursue a BW capability with relative ease.

Last updated on Npvember 16, 2000
For more info on Taiwan's CW capability, contact Chris Hellman, research analyst.

FACTS ON CBW I CBW HOME I CDI ISSUE AREAS I CDI HOME