The Straits Times (Singapore) February 9, 2002
China 'buys US satellite photos to target Taiwan'
WASHINGTON - The Chinese military is covertly buying US commercial satellite photographs of Taiwan that US intelligence officials say will be used to target the island with its growing arsenal of cruise and ballistic missiles, the Washington Times reported. China's purchase of the photographs, through a South Korean company, indicates that Beijing is increasing the accuracy of its ballistic missiles targeted at Taiwan, the intelligence officials said.
China has fielded about 350 CSS-6 and CSS-7 missiles within range of Taiwan in the past few years, fuelling cross-strait tensions, the report said. These high-resolution satellite photographs could also be used to facilitate the development a new land-attack cruise missile which requires detailed terrain mapping data, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
US officials did not identify the South Korean company that was buying the photographs on behalf of China. However, the purchase is being carried out through Space Imaging's South Korean affiliate in Seoul, the report said. CIA and White House National Security Council spokesmen contacted by the paper declined to comment on the report.
Mr John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org and a specialist on satellite imagery, said China has no satellite that can produce high-resolution photographs. 'This sort of imagery is fundamental for attack planning,' he said. 'It's the basis for any sort of targeting work for missile targeting, for any airborne assault planning they might be doing.'
Chinese Embassy spokesman Xie Feng said he was unaware of the satellite photo purchases. Disclosure of the missile-targeting reports comes amid recent signs of a thaw in cross-strait relations between China and Taiwan.
The disclosure also comes ahead of US President George W. Bush's upcoming visit to China beginning Feb 21. He is expected to have talks that will include discussions of US arms sales and military support for Taiwan, which Beijing opposes.
Copyright 2002 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
