NO UNUSUAL MOVEMENTS OF CHINESE MILITARY FORCES: MND
ROC Central News Agency
2006-03-01 15:16:34
Taipei, March 1 (CNA) There have been no unusual movements of Chinese military forces resulting from President Chen Shui-bian's announcement to cease the functions of the National Unification Council (NUC), the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Wednesday.
MND spokesman Liu Chih-chien said that based on incoming military intelligence about China, there have been no unusual People's Liberation Army movements so far, only routine exercises.
Liu was responding to media reports that Chinese military sources had suggested to Chinese leaders that China expand its annual military exercises this year to a scale larger than the one in 1996 when Beijing tried to intimidate Taiwan prior to its first popular presidential election, in response to President Chen's decision to cease the functions of the NUC and the application of the National Unification Guidelines (NUG), which set the stage for eventual unification with China.
Liu said that the reports are not official and that the MND does not rule out the possibility of the reports being part of Beijing's systematic information warfare campaign against Taiwan.
Liu noted that July and August are the peak months of Beijing's military exercises and that the ministry will continue to closely monitor the movement of Beijing's military forces.
Chinese President Hu Jintao warned Taiwan Tuesday that it was taking a "dangerous step on the road towards Taiwan independence" by scrapping the NUC and the NUG.
(By Lilian Wu)
enditem/Li
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