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NO INDICATION BEIJING WANTS TO INFLUENCE TAIWAN ELECTION: U.S.

2004-02-25 16:12:21

    Washington, Feb. 24 (CNA) Mainland China is closely monitoring the situation in Taiwan prior to its March 20 presidential election, but there is no indication that it is prepared to influence Taiwan voters through military activities, a high-ranking U.S. Defense Department official said Tuesday.

    Lowell Jacoby, Defense Intelligence Agency director, made the remarks when he reported at a hearing at the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on worldwide threats to the United States. "Domestic political events in Taipei are the principal determinant of short-term stability in the Taiwan Strait, " Jacoby said. "Beijing is monitoring developments in advance of next month's presidential elections and referendum, ever concerned about a Taiwan declaration of independence," he continued.

    He said that "Beijing will not tolerate the island's independence and will use military force regardless of the costs or risks."

    However, he went on, "we see no indication of preparations for large-scale military exercises or other military activity to influence Taiwan voters at this stage," he added.

    He also noted that the mainland has continued to develop or import weapons. The People's Liberation Army acquisition priorities include surface combatants and submarines, air defenses, modern fighter aircraft, ballistic and anti-ship cruise missiles, space and counter-space systems, and modern ground equipment, he said.

    During Taiwan's first popular presidential election in 1996, the mainland lobbed missiles into the Taiwan Strait near Taiwan and in the next election in 2000, then-Premier Zhu Rongji launched a blistering verbal attack on the eve of the presidential election.

    Meanwhile, George Tenet, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency director, said on the same occasion that the mainland has continued to pursue a missile modernization program. "China continues an aggressive missile modernization program that will improve its ability to conduct a wide range of military actions against Taiwan, supported by both cruise and ballistic missiles, " he said.

    He also said that the greatest concern of the United States remains the mainland's military buildup, which continues to accelerate. "Last year, Beijing reached new benchmarks in its production or acquisition from Russia of missiles, submarines and other naval combatants and advanced fighter aircraft," he said.

    He added: "China is also downsizing and restructuring its military forces with an eye toward enhancing its capability for the modern battlefield." "Expected technical improvements will give Beijing a more accurate and lethal force. China is also moving ahead with its first generation of ballistic missiles," he added.

    In addition to giving an oral report and answering questions, Tenet also said in a written report that the United States is "closely monitoring the situation across the Taiwan Strait in the period surrounding Taiwan's presidential election next month. "

    Mainland leadership politics -- especially the incomplete leadership transition -- will influence how Beijing deals with the Taiwan issue this year and beyond, Tenet said.

    President Hu Jintao, who is also the Chinese Communist Party leader, still shares power with his predecessor in those positions, Jiang Zemin, who retains the powerful chairmanship of the party's Central Military Commission, he added.

(By Jay Chen and Lilian Wu)

ENDITEM/J