DoD News Briefing
Thursday, February 11, 1999 - 1:30 p.m.
Presenter: Captain Mike Doubleday, DASD (PA)
...................
Q: Could you comment on whether the Department is concerned about Chinese missiles that are apparently pointed at Taiwan? I think there have been Taiwanese officials quoted today as saying that they understand there is at least 100 now staring at them from across the straits, and there may be plans to increase that by as much as 600.
A: Well, we're aware of the growing deployment by the Chinese in recent years of missiles which have been placed near Taiwan. I think that the most recent public statements on this were made by CIA Director George Tenet when he testified recently up on the Hill. This, however, is not a new threat. It stretches back more than half a decade. And any kind of report that indicates there's a sudden deployment here is wrong. They actually have been deployed for, as I say, over the last five or six years.
Q: There's supposedly some DoD reports that are on the way to Congress that are supposed to be released today or soon. Will these reports say that there's been an abrupt increase in the number of missiles?
A: There are two reports that were required of the Department by the Congress in the current year budget activity. Those reports are still being reviewed. I would anticipate that they would go to the Hill at some time in the near future, but I can't predict for you when they will. One of them deals with the theater missile ballistic defense architecture for allies and friendly countries in the western Pacific; and the other one addresses the security situation in the cross strait area between China and Taiwan.
Q: Mike, what's the latest status of talks, consultations between U.S. and Taiwanese authorities with regard to ballistic missile defense? Is that going forward as far as...
A: They are addressing their own needs in that regard, and as I understand it their interest in theater missile defense appears to be at this point primarily informational.
Q: I see. So you say they're going about their own shopping or their own evaluation?
A: They are gathering information from what I know about the situation.
Q: Mike, how many missiles does China have within striking distance of Taiwan?
A: I cannot provide you with that information right now. I know that our annual report that addresses these kinds of issues may have some information, but I don't have that with me. I'd be glad to see if there's anything we can get for you on that.
Q: Just to clarify for myself, but this deployment pre-dated say the '95, '96...
A: Actually there were missiles deployed there the last time the Chinese fired a missile in the direction of Taiwan, and when we deployed the aircraft carriers down there.
Q: I guess my question is the building. At some time there had to have been a buildup of missiles in that region. The buildup you said began five or six years ago?
A: Right.
Q: Some of these published reports suggest there was a sharp increase in the number of those missiles since that time in 1996 when tensions were high. Is that not accurate, that there's been a sharp increase since then?
A: I would refer you to the testimony that I mentioned earlier, and beyond that I don't have any way to characterize the situation.
.................Q: Can I just back up on one thing in the China missile threat?
A: Sure.
Q: You characterized this as a threat that's been there for several years.
A: The thing that I want to make clear is, we acknowledge that China has been modernizing its armed forces, and has been increasing its capabilities on a variety of fronts, but I think it is incorrect to think that the missile threat that was identified in these recent news reports is something that developed in the last several months. Those missile have been down there for, as I say, the last five or six years.
Q: Just one thing. So I take it in meetings that U.S. defense officials have had with their counterparts in China, I assume that they've mentioned this is not good for the region.
A: What we have said is we have a strong interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. And for that reason we've approved defensive arms sales to Taiwan, which is consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and with the 1982 U.S./PRC Joint Communique.
The Taiwanese have purchased a number of defensive arms from the United States. We believe, however, that the differences between Taiwan and mainland China should be settled peacefully, and that is our overall goal.
Q: Is there any other application to which China could be intending this missile buildup on-shore, along the Straits of Taiwan? Is there any other application they could be using these missiles for, except to intimidate Taiwan?
A: I don't know what their overall objective is, except to simply say that they have this capability, and they have built it up in that region.
.................http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb1999/t02111999_t0211asd.html
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