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China-Japan-Koreas
China army will "crush" any Taiwan independence move
2004-12-27
More saber rattling.
BEIJING - Relations between China and Taiwan are grim and the mainland will crush any major moves towards independence by the island no matter what the cost, the government said in a policy paper on national defence on Monday. The comments came as China's parliament discussed a draft anti-secession law that analysts say may contain clauses that would legally bind Beijing to take military action if the island Beijing claims as a renegade province ever declared independence. "The situation in the relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits is grim," the defence white paper said. "Should the Taiwan authorities go so far as to make a reckless attempt that constitutes a major incident of 'Taiwan independence', the Chinese people and armed forces will resolutely and thoroughly crush it at any cost," it said.
Including the Three Gorges dam?
Separatist activities on Taiwan had become the "biggest immediate threat" to China's sovereignty and to peace and stability in the region, the paper said. Pro-independence moves by Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian have made Beijing's communist leaders increasingly nervous since he took office in 2000. However, Chen's ambitions suffered a blow this month when his Democratic Progressive Party failed to gain a majority in the legislature, curtailing his power to introduce a new constitution that China says would be a step towards independence. The policy paper criticised the United States for continuing to increase, both qualitatively and quantitatively, its arms sales to Taiwan, saying this sent the wrong signal. "The US action does not serve a stable situation across the Taiwan Straits," it said.
Still looks stable to me.
China has been unmoved by outside criticism that Beijing's refusal to renounce the use of force against Taiwan has ratcheted up tension across the narrow straits. It was the "sacred responsibility" of China's armed forces to prevent Taiwan independence forces from splitting the country, the policy paper said.
How quaint that an officially anti-religious party cites a 'sacred' responsibility.
Posted by:Steve White

#5  Getting ready for the Million-Man Swim, are they? Contrary to popular opinion and much MSM propaganda, Taiwan is in fact able to resist a mainland invasion. Preparing for that eventuality has been a public obsession on Taiwan ever since Chiang Kai Shek's Nationalists fled there in 1949. The island is a hedgehog of missiles and artillery and is honey-combed with shelters and fortifications. Pro-Chicom media take an opposite tack, obviously, hoping to substitute defeatist memes for the facts.
For example, I have seen one highly detailed MSM "analysis" that rates the Chinese T-59 tank an even match for the modernized M-60 used by Taiwan and their J-8 target drone fighter as the equal of Taiwan's F-16s and Mirage 2000s. Other qualitative aspects simply assume parity or a Communist advantage. Their prediction of likely scenarios included such fantasies as Mainland forces destroying the RoCAF (Taiwan Air Force) on the ground, and Communist "elite troops" seizing key ports and other transportation nodes. It is a well-kept secret, otoh, that Taiwan has some of the best trained pilots, artillerymen, and tankers in the world, and a very substantial and well-protected domestic munitions industry, and a huge militia organization that could go into action in a matter of minutes in some cases.
The mainland generals know all this, of course. The danger will come if the political leadership starts believing its own propaganda.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2004-12-27 11:19:03 PM  

#4  Zenster, would a couple of MOABs, or those cute new super-MOABs (whose name I can't remember) do the trick? I do so hate to pollute the water unnecessarily.

(It's so good to be back home at my own computer!)
Posted by: trailing wife   2004-12-27 11:11:27 PM  

#3  Here's hoping that Taiwan has several ready-to-assemble nuclear devices. Strikes upon the Three Gorges dam, Beijing, Shanghai and other domestic economic centers would quickly cripple communist China. It's high time for the politburo to enjoy a tall cool foamy refreshing glass of STFU.
Posted by: Zenster   2004-12-27 5:31:40 PM  

#2  A stupid question. If the Chinese Navy is the People's Liberation Army Navy, what do they call their Air Force?
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2004-12-27 4:14:56 PM  

#1  Anguished outcry from the MSM and LLL in 3... 2... 1...

Okay, maybe not.
Posted by: Dar   2004-12-27 9:56:18 AM  

00:00