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TAIWAN DEVELOPING MEDIUM-RANGE MISSILES: LAWMAKER

Central News Agency

2005-05-03 23:00:02

    Taipei, May 3 (CNA) The military is developing a medium-range missile to deter an invasion from China, a ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker said Tuesday.

    Legislator Lee Wen-chung was commenting on a media report that the military is developing a long-range strategic missile capable of hitting targets more than 3,000 kilometers away.

    However, Lee, a convener of the Legislative Yuan's Defense Committee, said the report was overstated. "I don't think Taiwan needs a long-range missile, " Lee said, adding that short- and medium-range missiles could more fit Taiwan's needs.

    To the best of his understanding, Lee said, the military is developing a medium-range ballistic missile with a range of 1,000-plus kilometers. "The military has successfully test-fired the missile and is approaching the stage of mass-producing the new precision weapon, " Lee said.

    According to Lee, the medium-range missile will be installed mainly for deterring China from invading Taiwan. "By deploying the medium-range missile, we'll be able to attack such Chinese cities as Shanghai, Wuchang and Hankuo in case China attacks our military bases, airports or political and economic nerve centers, " Lee explained, adding he believes that this could deter China from igniting a war across the Taiwan Strait.

(By Sofia Wu)

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