China's military modernisation 'targeted at Taiwan'

A new special report by China on its defence forces shows the country’s military modernisation is targeted at rival Taiwan, the Taiwanese Defence Ministry claimed today.

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, and communist Beijing has repeatedly said it will attack if Taiwan – a democratic, self-ruled island off China’s coast – formally declares independence.

Beijing’s State Council, or Cabinet, yesterday published a white paper or special report on the Chinese military’s plans to modernise. The document included a strong warning that China would crush any Taiwanese independence attempt “at any cost”.

Taiwan said it was the target of China’s military modernisation – which it said is the biggest security threat in the Asia-Pacific region.

“All their military equipment is completely directed against us,” said Wang Shih-lan, a senior official at the Taiwanese Defence Ministry’s intelligence analysis centre.

Wang said the report showed China was strengthening its naval warfare capabilities. China’s air force was also turning from territorial defence to add attack capabilities, he said.

The report also criticised the United States for selling missiles to Taiwan. Washington is Taiwan’s chief protector and its most likely defender if attacked.

Beijing has steadily increased its rhetoric in response to what it says are efforts by Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian to pursue independence through a referendum on changing the island’s constitution.

The white paper’s release on yesterday also came as China’s legislature discussed an anti-secession law, seen as a legal means to push Taiwan to unify with the mainland.

Taiwan has described the planned law as a pretext for a military move against it. Officials in the capital, Taipei, have also said the law would hinder improvements in Taiwan-China relations and hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese public.

Despite their political bickering, Taiwan and China have a thriving business relationship.

The Taiwanese have massive investments in the mainland and regularly visit as tourists.