Chinese army exercises part of military move

Chinese army exercises part of military move

TAIPEI (AFP): Taiwan said stepped-up Chinese military
exercises were aimed at cranking up psychological pressure on
Taipei and urged its population not to panic over escalating
tensions on Wednesday.

Lin Chon-pin, vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council
(MAC) which formulates the island's China policy, said the
exercises were the result of Chinese research.

"They have conducted in-depth research on psychological
warfare," warned Lin.

"What we have seen right now is part of the practice stemming
from their research efforts," said Lin.

The comment came a day after defense ministry spokesman Kung
Fan-ding told reporters PLA's home-made B-6 bombers and fighters
had been involved in "training exercises" which appeared to be a
prelude to wargames.

"Their navy also launched training programs in the waters off
the eastern province of Zhejiang and from there to the Diaoyu
islands," Kung said.

China said the PLA exercises were "normal," but reiterated its
warning that any move by Taiwan towards independence would mean
war.

"As far as military exercises carried out by the People's
Liberation Army, this is normal and is aimed at enhancing the
capability of the Chinese military," foreign ministry spokesman
Sun Yuxi said.

Taiwan's Defense Vice Minister Sun Tao-yu said Beijing could
not possibly invade the island without an excuse.

"President-elect Chen Shui-bian has demonstrated his utmost
sincerity and goodwill. Under the circumstances the odds of
clashes are low," Sun said.

"The information available, including the scale of possible
exercises, suggests there is not any sign of a military clash,"
he said.

At a meeting with Chen, former premier Hau Pei-tsun, who
served as the island's chief of General Staff from 1981-89,
shrugged off China's intensified training.

"I don't think (the drills) would pose a threat to Taiwan,"
Hau said.

"If the Chinese communists want to bomb Taiwan, do you think
they would really use B-6 bombers to attack Taiwan?" he asked.
Local military analysts here said the outdated B-6 bombers would
not survive Taiwan's air defense systems.

The MAC's Lin also cast doubt over the possibility of a
Chinese invasion for the moment as Beijing is still not sure if
Washington would step in. The U.S. has repeatedly said the
Taipei-Beijing disputes must be solved on their own.

Washington sent two battle carrier groups to waters near
Taiwan in an apparent gesture to stop Beijing's saber-rattling
when the PLA lobbed ballistic missiles into the shipping lanes
off Taiwan in 1996 to intimidate Taiwanese voters ahead of their
first direct presidential polls.

Since his stunning victory, Chen has pledged to abide by
China's so-called "Four No's" -- not to declare independence, not
to constitutionalize a "two-states theory," not to change the
island's name from the Republic of China, and not to hold a
plebiscite on its national status.

Chen also said last Thursday he would neither abolish nor
amend the island's 1991 reunification guidelines on settling the
decades-old sovereignty dispute.

Last Friday he said he was open to the idea of a confederation
-- the first time he has discussed a concrete model for
reunification.

Yet Chen has rejected Beijing's call to recognize "One China,"
saying the term is open to interpretation, and that he cannot
engage in a dialog while the mainland holds fast to its
definition.

Sun told the public not to panic over the reports, saying
Taiwan's military would keep a close eye on any PLA movements.
Triggered by the reports, Taiwan share prices plummeted 4.3
percent on Wednesday to finish at 8,535.96 as investors dumped
shares for fear the stalemate might turn worse despite repeated
olive branches Chen delivered to Beijing.