Taipei, May 18 (CNA) Vice Defense Minister Wu Shih-wen denied a report on Thursday that the mainland Chinese army has changed deployment of its guided missile brigade.
Wu, who has been designated as defense minister of the incoming government of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was responding to an Internet report that the People's Liberation Army's (PLA's) only surface-to-surface missile brigade has recently changed its deployment targeted at Taiwan.
The ET Today report said the PLA began military deployment against Taiwan in late 1998 and set up its first and only surface-to-surface guided missile brigade early last year.
Commenting on the report, Wu said all of mainland China's guided missiles are controlled by its Second Artillery Unit and do not belong to any branch of its armed forces.
Therefore, Wu said, the Internet report concerning the PLA army's establishment of a guided missile brigade was not true.
Moreover, Wu said, intelligence reports collected by relevant Republic of China military units do not show signs of movement of the PLA's guided missile units.
Wu made the above remarks while meeting with a group of legislators from the Kuomintang, Taiwan's ruling party of 55 years which will lose power after Chen Shui-bian, a DPP stalwart, assumes presidency this weekend.
The KMT lawmakers expressed their concern about the ROC's security situation in the run-up to Chen's inauguration as Beijing has stoked up pressure on Taiwan since the pro-independence politician won the March 18 presidential election.
During the meeting, Wu told the KMT lawmakers that the military has consistently paid great attention to any threat from the mainland. "We have a special task force to analyze all intelligence reports and work out necessary countermeasures evade," he added.
Touching on an Australian newspaper report that mainland China may blockade Kaohsiung, Taiwan's largest port, in September in a bid to force the island into talks on reunification with the mainland, Wu said he doubts the truth of the report.
Wu, a former Navy commander-in-chief, said it's no easy task to use submarines to blockade a sea port. "Moreover, imposing a blockade on an international port involves complicated international interests. I don't think that any country would lightly take such an action."
In addition, Wu went on, the ROC Navy has stepped up development of its anti-submarine capabilities. "Our second-generation warships have all been well-equipped to fight submarines, and the ROC Air Force has also transferred advanced anti-submarine aircraft to the Navy to further beef up our overall anti-submarine strength," he said, adding that local people should have confidence in the ROC military's defense capabilities.
Asked about the US aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk's activities in the West Pacific, Wu said the ROC is not in a position to inquire about US military action plans. Wu said if the Kitty Hawk passes waters near Taiwan, the ROC military will certainly know its presence.
Two US aircraft carrier battle groups sailed to waters near the Taiwan Strait during the 1996 crisis when mainland China test-fired missiles and conducted live-fire war games at Taiwan's doorsteps n an attempt to influence the outcome of the ROC's first-ever direct presidential election.
Turning to the military's role under the incoming DPP government, Wu said the armed forces are founded in accordance with the ROC Constitution. "The military will faithfully carry out its duty in line with the provisions of the Constitution, and this policy will not change simply because of the transfer of power from the KMT to the DPP," he noted.
Wu further said Chen has soft-pedaled his pro-independence stance since he won the presidential election. "Chen has declared that he will take oath of office before the ROC national flag and the portray of ROC national founding father Dr. Sun Yat-sen. So I don't think there will be any 'national identification' issue," Wu added. (By Sofia Wu)
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