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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Taiwan Begins Deployment of Cruise Missiles |
| 2005-08-12 |
| Taiwan has begun deploying home-made cruise missiles on mobile launchers that are capable of hitting major military targets in southeast China, a newspaper here reported Friday. The China Times said the Hsiung Feng missiles, which have a range of 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), were deployed across the island by the defense ministry’s new missile command. The missiles, which each cost some 100 million Taiwan dollars (3.13 million U.S.), were developed by the military-run Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, the paper said. The institute was also developing cruise missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers for further deployment. The China Times said President Chen Shui-bian had inspected the missile command and witnessed a mock launch of the cruise missiles. The defense ministry declined to comment on the report. Taiwan reportedly successfully test-fired its first cruise missile earlier this year which flew over 500 kilometers before hitting its target. Last month the Pentagon released a report warning that China had deployed up to 730 ballistic missiles targeting the island. It said Beijing’s defense build-up could tip the military balance against Taiwan and pose a credible threat to other countries in the region. In a bid to beef up Taiwan’s defense capabilities, the cabinet has approved a revised arms deal worth some 15.5 billion dollars to buy weapons from the United States, its largest arms supplier. The arms package over a 15-year period from 2005, pending approval by parliament, includes eight conventional submarines, a modified version of the Patriot anti-missile system and a fleet of anti-submarine aircraft. The massive budget proposal has stirred heated debate on the island as critics said the spending could further provoke China and heighten cross-strait tensions. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #8 Other than China hav ICBM's, there's little in China's current modernizing arsenal that Taiwan can't counter or defeat. As a Socialist and Communist state. China must eventually expand, with military force if need be, or else risk deficit/regressions-induced implosion ala the USSR. CHINA WILL INTERPRETE THE DEPLOYMENT OF CM's AS A SYMBOLIC MOVE BY TAIWAN TOWARDS DE FACTO INDEPENDENCE REGARDLESS OF THE DIPLOMATIC RHETORIC. As the Commies are in their ideo "final struggle/conflict", do not be surprised iff they threaten global nuke war ags the USA-West over anything. EITHER THE USA DIES, OR THEY DIE, AND THEY DON'T WANNA DIE!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2005-08-12 22:27 |
| #7 Elmasing Cromoting5441 - From the rumors I heard those were N-bombs. A-bombs and H-bombs are slightly different stories. Then again on those topics... all is rumor. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-08-12 18:39 |
| #6 I think you've got it. The biggest danger to Taiwan isn't an invasion, but a blockade - ruin its trade and force it to surrender from economic hardship. With these missiles Taiwan can retaliate and counter-blockade China. With this range Taiwan can threaten the shipping lanes to Chinas major ports. |
| Posted by: buwaya 2005-08-12 17:01 |
| #5 Way back in the '80s it was thought around intel circles that Israel, South Africa [Afrikkaner], and Taiwan were engaged in mutual support in development of nukes. Today we know about the first and the second, so it may well be one of the best kept secrets that they already have the warheads. |
| Posted by: Elmasing Cromoting5441 2005-08-12 16:55 |
| #4 Maybe these aren't necessarily for land targets. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-08-12 16:16 |
| #3 While cruise missiles are good, I think the Taiwanese might be missing the boat here. It is probably better to have a gazillion cheap rockets that cost $100k each as it to have a much smaller number of missiles that cost $3.3M each. By rockets I don't mean completely unguided, just partially guided with simple GPS instead of cruise evasion capability. Two sizes: 500lb bomb for inland attack and 1000lb bomb for coastal attack. A flying engine carrying an iron bomb. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-08-12 15:50 |
| #2 heh heh... a nuke at the base of three gorges would make some wild downstream surfing, except |
| Posted by: Steve Zissou 2005-08-12 13:30 |
| #1 Good. Maybe it will make the Chinese think twice about attacking. Now if only we can give Taiwan some nuclear tips for those things. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-08-12 13:24 |