Taiwan Shows Model Missile To Strike China

Sat Apr 21, 2007
1:21 AM ET
News.Yahoo

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's military this week simulated a battle using defensive short-range and cruise missiles that could hit military targets in China if fully developed, a defense spokesman and local media said on Saturday.

During five days of annual drills, the military simulated a battle via computer featuring weapons that could hit targets on China's coast but not kill civilians, the spokesman said.

"The damage suffered by both sides would be severe, finally calling for international mediation," Central News Service said.

The Ministry of Defence has not decided whether to develop the weapons, the spokesman said.

...Taiwan now has Patriot anti-aircraft missiles and anti-ship missiles that could strike China, which is 160 kilometers (100 miles) away, but officials say these would not go far enough in a war.

China is aiming 988 missiles at Taiwan, the Taiwan government believes, and pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian has said that by 2010 China would be capable of a large-scale invasion.