In Taiwan, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方), a member of the Foreign and National Defense Committee, said the test was China’s way of “telling the world that it has the capability to intercept ballistic missiles.”
Lin said it was not surprising, as many countries are developing anti-ballistic missile systems. He added, however, that he did not know whether the test was directly related to the US’ recent announcement of arms sales to Taiwan.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesman Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) disagreed, saying the party thought it could be related to US arms sales to Taiwan.
He said China should not protest against the arms sales because they are in accordance with the US’ Taiwan Relations Act.
He added that China’s move would only increase Taiwanese feelings of intimidation and discontent with Beijing.
DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had neglected national defense and the test showed that his China-leaning policies had not stopped Beijing’s ambition to take Taiwan by force.
Wendell Minnick, Asia Bureau Chief at the military periodical Defense News, dismissed the linking of the missile test to Taiwan, which has no offensive missile capability.
“It’s China aiming missiles at Taiwan, not vice versa,” he said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JIMMY CHUANG, FLORA WANG, RICH CHANG AND STAFF WRITER
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