DATE=8/10/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=TAIWAN-CHINA (S&L)
NUMBER=2-252634
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=TAIPEI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Taiwan's President says two Chinese warplanes
crossed briefly into Taiwan's airspace, amid
heightened tensions between the two rivals. But, V-O-
A's Stephanie Ho reports from Taipei, the Taiwanese
Defense Ministry quickly downplayed the incident,
saying the incursions appeared to be accidental.
Text: In impromptu remarks to a government seminar
Tuesday, Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui said the two
Chinese planes crossed five-kilometers and 10-
kilometers over the center line in the Taiwan Strait.
China and Taiwan consider the centerline the limit of
activity by their militaries.
Mr. Lee is quoted as saying the planes flew over the
centerline because they were going too fast.
The Taiwanese defense ministry issued a statement
saying the crossings did not appear to be a deliberate
provocation because the planes turned around
immediately after crossing the line.
The Associated Press quotes a Taiwanese military
analyst as saying China's most advanced fighter
planes, the Russian-made Sukhoi-27, have recently
begun flying sorties over the coast of Fujian province
-- across the water from Taiwan. The Associated Press
says Taiwan has stepped up sorties of its warplanes in
response.
/// REST OPT FOR LONG CR ///
Taiwanese President Lee triggered the current round of
cross-strait tensions last month when he said
relations between Taipei and Beijing should be
considered "special state-to-state" ties. Chinese
leaders responded angrily and re-emphasized Beijing's
position that it will take Taiwan by force if the
island is seen as declaring independence.
Meanwhile, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry lashed out
at Hong Kong's media, which has been reporting stories
about Chinese war preparations during the past month.
Hu Yuan-chieh, of the Taiwanese military general
headquarters' office of intelligence, accused China of
selectively leaking material to Hong Kong journalists
to scare Taiwan's population.
Despite Taiwanese government assurances these reports
have caused Taiwan's stock market to fall almost 15-
percent since the crisis began. (signed)
NEB/HO/RAE
10-Aug-1999 07:28 AM EDT (10-Aug-1999 1128 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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