Voice of America 4/1/97
TAIWAN / U-S MISSILES
BYLINE=CHRIS SIMKINS
DATELINE=HONG KONG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TAIWAN SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED TWO U-S MADE HAWK SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES TODAY (TUESDAY) IN MILITARY EXERCISES FROM THE ISLAND'S NORTHWEST COAST. CORRESPONDENT CHRIS SIMKINS HAS MORE ON THE STORY FROM THE V-O-A ASIA NEWS CENTER.
TEXT: TAIWAN MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY TWO U-S / MADE GROUND-TO-AIR MISSILES, LAUNCHED FROM ITS NORTHWEST COAST TUESDAY, HIT AND DESTROYED TWO UNMANNED AIRPLANES. A MILITARY SPOKESMAN SAYS THE FIRING MARKS THE FIRST TIME A THIRD GENERATION OF THE 30-YEAR-OLD HAWK MISSILES WAS SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
DEFENSE ANALYSTS SAY THE MISSILES -- WITH MORE ROCKET THRUST PERMITTING MULTIPLE TARGETING -- ARE KEY PART OF THE ISLAND'S SHORT-RANGE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM. THE MISSILES WOULD BE USED TO GUARD AGAINST A POSSIBLE ATTACK BY MAINLAND CHINA. A YEAR AGO, CHINA CONDUCTED ITS OWN LIVE-FIRE MISSILE EXERCISES OFF TAIWAN'S COAST. CHINA CONSIDERS TAIWAN A RENEGADE PROVINCE HAS SAID IT WOULD USE MILITARY FORCE, IF IT DECLARES ITS INDEPENDENCE OR IF A THIRD COUNTRY INTERVENES.
CHINA HAS STRONGLY PROTESTED U-S SALES OF ADVANCED MILITARY HARDWARE TO TAIWAN. IT MAINTAINS SUCH WEAPONS SALES VIOLATE AGREEMENTS THAT FORM THE BASIS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BEIJING. (SIGNED)
NEB / CS / WD
01-Apr-97 5:28 AM EST (1028 UTC)
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