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Taiwan holds its biggest public military display of the year
Suao (Taiwan), Sept 04: Swooping fighter jets knocked flares out of the air and cannons bombarded the calm blue Pacific Ocean with shells today during Taiwan`s biggest public military display of the year.
Suao (Taiwan), Sept 04: Swooping fighter jets knocked flares out of the air and cannons bombarded the calm blue Pacific Ocean with shells today during Taiwan's biggest public military display of the year.
Watching from a shaded VIP stand, President Chen Shui-Bian and other senior leaders applauded as planes, tanks and ships defended Taiwan's northeastern coast from imaginary invading Chinese forces.
The President also took the occasion to emphasize Taiwan's role in deterring China's military expansion. "Taiwan lies at the center of the Western Pacific and it is the lock that controls Chinese military expansion to the East," Chen said after the drills.
When the Communists won a civil war and took over the mainland in 1949, China's former nationalist party government retreated to Taiwan -- 160 kilometres off the mainland's southeastern coast.
For the past five decades, Taiwan has resisted the Beijing government's rule, but Chinese leaders still hope to unify the two sides. They've given Taiwan a choice to unify eventually or face a devastating war. Taiwan's leader said that intelligence showed that, if China resorted to force, it would use high-tech weapons to launch a full-frontal surprise attack against Taiwan.
Taiwan has been able to discourage China from attacking partly because it has a big arsenal of advanced weapons -- most of them purchased from the United States.
Bureau Report
The President also took the occasion to emphasize Taiwan's role in deterring China's military expansion. "Taiwan lies at the center of the Western Pacific and it is the lock that controls Chinese military expansion to the East," Chen said after the drills.
When the Communists won a civil war and took over the mainland in 1949, China's former nationalist party government retreated to Taiwan -- 160 kilometres off the mainland's southeastern coast.
For the past five decades, Taiwan has resisted the Beijing government's rule, but Chinese leaders still hope to unify the two sides. They've given Taiwan a choice to unify eventually or face a devastating war. Taiwan's leader said that intelligence showed that, if China resorted to force, it would use high-tech weapons to launch a full-frontal surprise attack against Taiwan.
Taiwan has been able to discourage China from attacking partly because it has a big arsenal of advanced weapons -- most of them purchased from the United States.
Bureau Report