Taipei, July 27 (CNA) Republic of China Vice Defense Minister Sun Tao-yu touched on Taiwan's missile counterattack capability on Tuesday, while attending a public hearing sponsored by a legislator of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
A few days ago, Kuomintang Business Management Committee Chairman Liu Tai-ying told a symposium in Bangkok that if mainland China invaded Taiwan by force, Taiwan could launch missiles to the coastal areas of Hong Kong and Shanghai.
At the DPP-organized public hearing, Sun was asked to comment on Liu's remarks.
"Liu had never exchanged views with the Defense Ministry and his remarks were simply his personal views, and have nothing to do with the Defense Ministry," said Sun.
But he noted that Liu's remarks "are not without sense."
The defense official acknowledged that the ROC's military buildup is mainly for a defensive purpose, but that does not mean the island has no counterattack capability.
"There are many things that can be said, but cannot be done, while there are some things that can be done, but cannot be said," stated Sun.
He also said that the mainland Chinese situation has changed somewhat since ROC President Lee Teng-hui redefined the present cross-Taiwan Strait relations as a "special state-to-state relationship" early this month.
But no major military mobilization has been detected to the extent of launching a military invasion against Taiwan, he said.
The public hearing was held to discuss how Taiwan would proceed, both in terms of its foreign relations and defensive planning, in the wake of Lee's redefinition of Taiwan-mainland relations and of the recent Taipei visit of American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Richard Bush.
(By Victor Lai)
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