Taiwanese president fires broadside as missile test fizzles

Taiwan’s president Ma Ying-jeou expressed his frustration today after an unusually public test firing of 19 surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles became a national embarrassment.

Nearly a third of the missiles missed their targets, incurring the wrath of Mr Ma, who presided over the test, and raising new questions about Taiwan’s readiness to defend itself against Chinese attack.