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CHINA PURSUING VARIOUS COURSES OF ACTION AGAINST TAIWAN: REPORT

ROC Central News Agency

2006-05-24 16:03:54

    Washington, May 23 (CNA) The Chinese military is planning various courses for action to prevent de jure independence for Taiwan, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense.

    These options include a strategy of persuasion and coercion, limited force options, an air and missile campaign, a blockade and an amphibious invasion, according to the 2006 Annual Report on the Military Power of the People's Republic of China.

    On the strategy of persuasion and coercion, the report says China seeks to attract Taiwan investment while emphasizing that peace in the Taiwan Strait will bring prosperity.

    As the accelerating economic integration between Taiwan and China makes Taiwan increasingly subject to Chinese economic leverage, Beijing is attempting to exploit these ties to press Taiwan businessmen operating in China to refrain from openly supporting pro-Taiwan independence parties or individuals, the report says.

    On the other hand, China has intensified its campaign to constrain Taiwan's international profile and continues its military threat against Taiwan, it says. "The sustained military threat to Taiwan serves as an important backdrop to the overall political, economic and diplomatic campaign of persuasion and coercion," the report says. "Exercises, deployments and media operations all contribute to the creation of an environment of intimidation."

    On the limited force options, the report says China could launch computer network attacks against Taiwan's political, military and economic infrastructure and have special operations forces infiltrate Taiwan to conduct acts of economic, political and military sabotage.

    It warns that such "non-war" uses of force could quickly risk escalation to a full-fledged military conflict.

    On the air and missile campaign, the report says China could make surprise short-range ballistic missile attacks and precision air strikes against Taiwan to degrade Taiwan's defenses, neutralize its military and political leadership and break its will to fight before the United States and other nations could intervene.

    On China's blockade strategy, the report says Beijing could threaten or deploy a naval blockade either as a "non-war" pressure tactic in the pre-hostility phase or as a transition to active conflict.

    China is also likely to employ air blockades, missile attacks and mining to obstruct harbors and approaches, it says.

    Meanwhile, the strategies of an amphibious invasion include a "joint island landing campaign" aimed at breaking through Taiwan's shore defenses, establishing and building a beachhead, and launching an attack to split, seize and occupy the entire island or important targets, according to the report.

(By Jorge Liu and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/J