Military denies report of Patriot-III test in Taiwan
ROC Central News Agency
2013/09/27 18:31:04
Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) denied a newspaper report Friday and said that it has never tested U.S.-made Patriot-III anti-missile systems in Taiwan.
The Liberty Times cited unnamed 'high-ranking military personnel' as saying that Taiwan had conducted an unprecedented test last week from a base in Pingtung -- a major development because the U.S. does not currently allow testing of the system outside of its borders.
The MND denied the report in a morning statement, calling it 'untrue.'
The ministry said that a contract recently signed with the American Institute in Taiwan -- the de facto U.S. embassy in the absence of formal ties -- covers maintenance and follow-up services and has nothing to do with test firing.
The Liberty Times report said that the military had neither confirmed nor denied the contents of the NT$1.358 billion (US$46 million) contract, signed on Aug. 28.
A repot in the same paper earlier this month said that Taiwan has purchased six Patriot III systems from the United States and upgraded three older Patriot IIs.
The terms of the purchase require Taiwan to receive U.S. permission before conducting tests, though reports say the U.S. refuses to grant it on fears that relevant data will be leaked to China.
(By Claudia Liu and Lilian Wu)
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