The draft outline of the next 15-year satellite development programme starting in 2004 was approved by the National Science Council late Monday, said the panel's vice chairman, Ching J. Shieh.

The programme, which is certain to raise Chinese suspicions about possible military applications, is expected to cost around 30 billion Taiwan dollars (867 million US).

"We hope that by 2011, or after the first six years of the new programme, Taiwan will be able to become independent of foreign technology in the development of satellites," Shieh told AFP.

"By that I mean Taiwan can design and manufacture the body of satellites and most of the major components to be installed on the payloads," he said.

When that happens, he said, "Taiwan will become a satellite data supplier instead of the present satellite data user".

Taiwan relies heavily on satellite technology provided by countries such as Japan, the United States and France, despite having its first home-grown research satellite called ROCSAT-1 in orbit since January 1999.

Taiwan is planning to send the ROCSAT-2 into orbit at the end of 2003 and the ROCSAT-3 in 2006 as part of its first 15-year space programme, launched in 1991 at an estimated cost of 19.6 billion Taiwan dollars.

The new space programme will overlap with the existing one for at least two years.

Shieh said the satellite programme was aimed at scientific research, but added: "Any satellite in the world will somehow have military applications and implications."

China has opposed Taiwan's bid to develop satellites of its own, alleging they could be transferred to military uses.

Taiwanese reports said the island's ability to eavesdrop on China had been boosted after its military intelligence was partially plugged into Israel's EROS-1 (Earth Resource Observation Satellite), which transmits photos with a resolution of two meters (6.6 feet).

"Taiwan is authorised to fully control the satellite whenever it flies within a range of 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) of the island's satellite ground signal station," the United Daily News said.

In the past Taiwan was only able to spy on the mainland's coastal and southeastern regions through reconnaissance aircraft. But now Taiwan gets clearer pictures of the mainland's military establishments, the paper said.

Taiwan's defence ministry says China has some 350 ballistic missiles targeted against the island.

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