Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) said yesterday that any kind of missiles or weaponry China deploys along its coastline opposite Taiwan counts as an act of hostility.
Chen’s comments came after the Chinese-language United Daily News reported yesterday that China had recently deployed advanced YJ-62A subsonic anti-ship missiles. The missile, with a range of 400km, would bring almost all of Taiwan’s seaports and sea traffic lanes within range, the report said.
“The Ministry of National Defense is gaining a better understanding of the latest report on China’s deployment of cutting-edge YJ-62A guided missiles along its southeast coasts, and we will take necessary measures to deal with this,” Chen said at the legislature.
The report said the Chinese Web site military.china.com recently posted a photograph of a missile launched from a vehicle launcher, and Taiwan’s military believed the missile was a YJ-62A.
The 300kg body of the missile was designed to attack large-sided warships and aircraft carriers, the report said, adding that the military suspected the release of the photo had been authorized by the Chinese military.
The paper said that prior to the deployment of the YJ-62A, China only had land-based anti-ship HY-1 missiles with a range of 85km, and HY-2s with a range of 95km.
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