TAIPEI, Sept 26 (AFP) -- Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian on Wednesday reiterated Taipei's full support for the United States as Washington prepared to launch reprisals against Afghanistan. 
	
	
 "On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name), I would like to extend our full support to the George W. Bush administration in its any decision and act against terrorists," Chen said while meeting Oregon governor John Kitzhaber. 
	
	
 Taiwan "would not stand idly by" because "the attacks were not only a challenge to the US but also a disruption of peace for mankind," Chen said in a statement released by the presidential office. 
	
	
 "The ROC government will be with the US government firmly." 
	
	
 Chen again voiced his condolences to the families of the thousands of Americans killed when hijacked planes plunged into the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11. 
	
	
 Chen's remarks came as the US was massing forces to launch reprisals against Afghanistan, where the prime suspect Usama bin Laden is believed to be in hiding. 
	
	
 Taiwan's Foreign Minister Tien Hung-mao had vowed to back the US in fighting terrorism saying Taiwan had "no option" but to do so, despite a lack of diplomatic ties between Taipei and Washington. 
	
	
 Since his inauguration last year, Bush has backpedalled from his predecessor Bill Clinton's policy of engagement with China. 
	
	
 In April Bush approved the biggest US arms package to Taiwan since 1992. 
	
	
 Washington has remained the biggest arms supplier to Taiwan despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.