Owais
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Over 900 Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan: report
TAIPEI (updated on: January 22, 2007, 12:30 PST): 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 on 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 Defence.
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 defence 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 defence 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 defence 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.
brecorder.com
TAIPEI (updated on: January 22, 2007, 12:30 PST): 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 on 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 Defence.
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 defence 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 defence 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 defence 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.
brecorder.com
