Posted on 03/06/2007 5:05:19 AM PST by IrishMike
Taipei - Taiwan has test-fired missiles capable of hitting major economic centres of rival China, local news media reported Tuesday, amid a new tension across the Taiwan Strait. Military-funded Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology test-fired the local-made Hsiung Feng 2E, which has a range of up to 1,000 kilometres, last month, Taipei-based United Daily News reported.
Quoting an unnamed institute source, the paper said the missile is able to hit Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai - the economic centres of China in the south and central parts of the mainland.
It said President Chen Shui-bian inspected the test-firing along with Defence Minister Lee Jye.
The defence ministry, however, declined to comment on the report. The institute also refused to confirm whether it had test-fired the missile or not.
But parliamentarians of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said it explained why Chen was bold enough to say that Taiwan must declare independence.
They said the fact that Taiwan is capable of producing missiles that can threaten China has given Chen a strong boost.
Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still regards the island an integral part of the mainland. It has repeatedly warned that if Taiwan ever declares independence officially, it will send forces to attack the island.
............ The comments prompted Beijing to lash out at Chen. Washington, an informal ally of Taiwan and arms supplier for the island, also demanded that Chen keep his previous promises to refrain from further escalating cross-strait tensions.
David Wang, spokesman of Taiwan's foreign ministry, Tuesday said he had no idea about the test-fire issue, but stressed Taiwan must have adequate defence capability to safeguard itself in the face of rapid military buildup of China.
(Excerpt) Read more at earthtimes.org ...
My bet is that they already are. The Chicoms better watch out, Taiwan's not going to roll over.
Lots of things going with China these days
I suspect Taiwan has been afraid of China for a long time. My friend has spent many years getting his entire family out of there for that very reason. Like all men in Taiwan he was in the military. Apparently, there has been a pseudo-war between the two countries for a very time including, mock battles on the small islands in the strait.
They ARE nuclear. Its just not official. Like Israel. Like South Africa was...
Was Lurker referring to Taiwan being bombed with PRC nuclear bombs (going nuclear)?
The Chicoms would know if they could. There are spies everywhere over there
A missile like this in any numbers, tipped with nuclear weapons, will end any talk of invasion by the PRC, and is probably the reason the ROC President Chen was so bold in the last week in his talk of independence...along with garnering votes from his constituency as a politician.
probably more like two months.
It's amazing what you can get away with when your tormentor is trying to look civilized for their international coming-out party next year.
Without nukes, Taiwan's missles aimed at China would be about as annoying as flies around a bull's butt.
With Taiwan possibly a few dozen cruise missiles now, possibly having WMDs, and apparently moving towards independence, Beijing is suddenly on the wrong side of the clock. In five years, Taiwan could be both independent, and ready to hit back harder than the PRC can handle. China will be forced to either let Taiwan go, or destroy it, and themselves in the process.
That's a dangerous road for Taiwan to take, but better than capitulation to Beijing's tyranny.
Thumbs up for someone standing up to the Chicoms.....
The reason it's going to impact regional stability is because these developments are hitting the foundation of the mainland Chinese government. A lot of what makes the Chinese goverment what it is revolves around Taiwan. Especially in the behind the scenes power struggles between the military, the reformers, moderates, nationalists, etc. All of the factions co-exist and jocky for position based on commonly held agreements on how the world is and how best to proceed.
Taiwan is tearing those positions down, and exposing many on the inside as being wrong. That's almost certainly causing massive tectonic shifts right now, and in ways that will surface in the coming weeks.
I agree, except that it doesn't really matter if Taiwan has nukes or not. For all their bluster, Taiwan will never be on equal footing military-wise with China.
I think Lurker's "45 minutes" comment was about the time it would take China to completly eliminate Taiwan.
Forgot to mention that due to their one-child only policy, China is about to have millions of men who will never have an opportunity to marry. They're gonna be pissed off.
Sorry for the confusion. L
Taiwan is tearing those positions down, and exposing many on the inside as being wrong. That's almost certainly causing massive tectonic shifts right now, and in ways that will surface in the coming weeks.
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Considering the effect the 'China syndrome' had on global markets over the past two weeks as a result of the Chicoms desire to slow down and restrict economic growth, this could be a tsunami to global markets.
Could be, I'm a HVAC engineer.
Taiwan already has up-to-date technology and in many ways is superior to the PRC. However, the PRC is willing and able to drown enough troops to walk across the strait.
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