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Over 900 Chinese Missiles Aimed At Taiwan
Taipei (AFP) Jan 22, 2007 China has deployed more than 900 ballistic missiles against rival Taiwan and they could obliterate the island's air force should war break out, a report said Monday. Internal Pentagon documents had raised the number of short-range Chinese ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan, the United Daily News said citing an unnamed US intelligence source. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the US Department of Defense. The source said the missiles had ranges of 300 miles to 600 miles and that the number deployed against the island kept on increasing. Anonymous Taiwanese defense ministry officials told the newspaper that Taiwan's three US-made Patriot anti-missile batteries would not be able to shield it entirely from an intensive Chinese bombardment. The Patriot systems comprise some 200 anti-missile weapons. The office of the defense ministry's spokesman did not immediately comment on the report. Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian said in July last year that China's People's Liberation Army had aimed 784 ballistic and 36 cruise missiles at the island. The number of missiles was rising by 120 per year, he added. The missiles could paralyse Taiwan's communications, transportation and command centers in a 10-hour bombardment, Taiwan's defense ministry says. A Pentagon report has said China is boosting its military at a pace that is tipping the balance against Taiwan and which could pose a credible threat to other armies in the region. China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island declare formal independence. It regards the self-governing island as part of its territory since a split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated since the independence-leaning Chen was elected president in 2000. He was narrowly re-elected in 2004.
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Taiwan Alert To China Fighter Deployment
Taipei (AFP) Jan 21, 2007China has deployed new war planes that could target Taiwan as part of a continuing arms build up, according to a media report Sunday. A batch of the domestically developed Jian-10 -- or J-10 -- jets were deployed at a Chinese base beyond the range of Taiwanese fighters according to Taiwanese intelligence, a report in the Taipei-based China Times said. |
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