Military rebuts report of possible islet landing drill
ROC Central News Agency
2013/01/16 21:40:55
Taipei, Jan. 16 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday rebutted a report that a landing drill will be held on Taiwan's outlying Penghu islands later this year with the aim of fighting against foreign occupation of the Diaoyutai Islands.
"The military drills under the Han Kuang exercises are still being planned," ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Luo Shou-he told CNA.
He added that the exercises are aimed at testing the military's ability to defend Taiwan proper and Penghu and described the Diaoyutais as a different issue.
The Chinese-language Liberty Times reported Wednesday a rumor in the military that a drill simulating the retaking of an island will be held on Penghu as part of the annual Han Kuang series of exercises.
The newspaper said the military is planning the drill amid rising tension between China and Japan since last year when the Japanese government nationalized some of the islets in the island group that were privately owned.
China and Japan have deployed aircraft to the area in recent weeks in a further escalation, although no actual clashes have taken place.
However, Luo reiterated that the military is keeping tabs on the situation relating to the disputed island group in the East China Sea and is prepared for all contingencies.
The uninhabited Diaoyutai Islands, which lie about 100 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan, are currently controlled by Japan but are also claimed by Taiwan and China. They are known as the Senkakus in Japan and as the Diaoyu Islands in China.
(By Elaine Hou)
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