Taiwan tests cruise missile as Beijing tension flares
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Taiwan tests cruise missile as Beijing tension flares*
By Rowan Callick in China
March 07, 2007 03:38am
Article from: The Australian
SIMMERING tensions between China and Taiwan have boiled over, with
Beijing criticising Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian for demanding
independence and Taipei test-firing a cruise missile capable of hitting
Shanghai.
The missile was tested from the Chiupeng military base in Taiwan's south
on Friday - carefully timed, like Mr Chen's speech, to precede the
opening of China's National People's Congress.
Senior Taiwanese government politicians, including Defence Minister Lee
Jye, witnessed the test, which may be seen as a counter to the 17.8 per
cent rise in China's military budget now before the NPC.
Taiwan claimed that China already had 400 missiles lined up against it,
in neighbouring Fujian province.
Mr Chen told a pro-independence group on Sunday night that Taiwan "must
be independent".
"Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country outside of the People's
Republic of China," Mr Chen said.
The comments have provoked outraged responses within China, whose
Government has over the past year reined in strong comments on Taiwan.
"Don't listen to local leaders," Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing
said on Monday.
"Whoever wants to split away will become a criminal in history."
Beijing has regarded Taiwan as a renegade province since the nationalist
armies of Chiang Kai-shek fled there in 1949 after losing the civil war.
Two years ago, the National People's Congress passed legislation
authorising the People's Liberation Army to attack Taiwan if it sought
formal independence.
The NPC is set to approve a 17.8 per cent increase in the military
budget, to $58 billion, considerably more than the education or health
budget.