The Republic of China on Taiwan denies having chemical or nuclear weapons. During the 1970s, the ROC had an active program to produce plutonium using heavy water reactors, but after strong pressure from the United States, the reactor was dismantled and the U.S. impounded the unreprocessed waste from the reactor. There is no evidence that the ROC possesses any nuclear weapons or any current programs to produce them, although it does have the general technological level to develop the ability to enrich uranium or process plutonium. The Peoples Republic of China is estimated by the U.S. Government to have an arsenal of about 150 nuclear weapons as of 1999. ... The United Kingdom is one of the five official nuclear weapon states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has an independent nuclear deterrent. ... Motto Three Principles of the People (三民主義 San-min Chu-i) Anthem National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei (formerly and de jure Nanking) Largest city Taipei Official languages Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  -  President Chen Shui-bian  -  Vice President Annette Lu  -  Premier Chang Chun-hsiung Establishment... Dressing the wounded during a gas attack by Austin O. Spare, 1918. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ... General Name, Symbol, Number plutonium, Pu, 94 Chemical series actinides Group, Period, Block n/a, 7, f Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight (244) g·mol−1 Electron configuration [Rn] 5f6 7s2 Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 32, 24, 8, 2 Physical properties Phase solid Density (near r. ... Heavy water is dideuterium oxide, or D2O or 2H2O. It is chemically the same as normal water, H2O, but the hydrogen atoms are of the heavy isotope deuterium, in which the nucleus contains a neutron in addition to the proton found in the nucleus of any hydrogen atom. ... Core of a small nuclear reactor used for research. ...

Taiwan may possess some small quantities of sarin, although the ROC government has stated that any such materials are only for defensive research purposes and that it does not have any intention of producing offensive chemical weapons. Sarin, also known by its NATO designation of GB (O-Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance whose sole application is as a nerve agent. ...

Taiwan has three nuclear power plants and is constructing a fourth. All of these reactors will use imported enriched uranium and are subject to International Atomic Energy Agency inspection. The People's Republic of China has announced that any Taiwanese possession of nuclear weapons is grounds for an immediate attack. Attempts by ROC officials to form a dialogue with the PRC to discuss WMD have been rebuffed. These pie-graphs showing the relative proportions of uranium-238 (blue) and uranium-235 (red) at different levels of enrichment. ... The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established as an autonomous organization on July 29, 1957. ...

The Republic of China ratified the Geneva Protocol on August 7, 1929 and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1970. Following UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (1971) the United Nations does not recognize the Republic of China as a legitimate political entity, and as such does not recognize any right that the ROC has to join international multilateral treaties. Because of its controversial political status, the ROC has not been allowed to join either the Biological Weapons Convention nor the Chemical Weapons Convention, but it has stated that it will abide by both treaties nevertheless. In addition, it has stated that it will continue to abide by the NPT, notwithstanding controversy over its political status. The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty prohibiting the use of chemical and biological weapons. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Opened for signature July 1, 1968 in New York Entered into force March 5, 1970 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and 40 other signatory states. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Chinas seat in the United Nations has been occupied by the Peoples Republic of China since October 25, 1971. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... Taiwan Strait area The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu), should remain the effective territory of the Republic of China (ROC), become unified with the territories now governed by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), or become the Republic of... Biological Weapons Convention Opened for signature April 10, 1972 at Moscow, Washington and London Entered into force March 26, 1975 Conditions for entry into force ??? Parties ??? The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (usually referred to... Chemical Weapons Convention Opened for signature January 13, 1993 in Paris Entered into force April 29, 1997 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by 50 states and the convening of a Preparatory Commission Parties 181 (as of Oct. ...

See also

• Military of the Republic of China
• Political status of Taiwan

The Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) maintains a large military establishment, which accounted for 16. ... Taiwan Strait area The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu), should remain the effective territory of the Republic of China (ROC), become unified with the territories now governed by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), or become the Republic of...

References

External links

• USA deployment of nuclear weapons in such sensitive places as Japan, Greenland, Iceland, and Taiwan
• United States Secretly Deployed Nuclear Bombs In 27 Countries and Territories During Cold War