Taiwan Launches War Games Ahead Of Hk Handover

Taiwan today launched two days of major live-fire war games only a week before Hong Kong returns to China brushing aside us and Chinese warnings the maneuvers could further heighten tensions in the straits.

President Lee Teng-Hui, accompanied by vice president and Premier Lien Chan, chief of general staff general Lo Pen-Li and other top-ranking government and military officials, carried out a review of high-profile weaponry in the southern air base early today.

Lee was driven around the base where the newly-purchased US-made F-16 and French-made Mirage 2000-5 jet fighters and mica and magic missiles to be fitted to the aircraft were displayed.

 

Also on display were E-2t Awac (airborne early warning and command) aircraft, other imported missiles, as well as Taiwan-made ChingKuo warplanes, also known as IDFS (indigenous defense fighters), tanks and sky bow and hornet missiles.

Cannons and attack, anti-submarine and survelliance helicopters were also put on show.

The military wants to show off its hard-won weaponry before eyes of the public at the annual live-fire exercise, and have denied that the live-fire exercise was designed as a provocative show of force aimed at arch rival china.

Defense authorities have insisted the han kuang 13 exercise is an annual event designed to test combat readiness of the islands armed forces.

The nationalist armed forces acquired these advanced weapons after struggling for years to break a blockade by beijing, which regards taiwan as a renegade province and opposes any arms sales to the island. Afp swr tkg 06231434 c