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MND chief warns of direct links

"The people's will to resist, which could be reduced once direct cross-strait transportation links are opened, is a more important issue to tackle."

Chang Wu-yueh, academic

Direct transportation links across the Taiwan Strait will have a grave impact on security since China has never forsaken its hostility toward Taiwan, Minister of National Defense Tang Yiau-min (湯曜明) said over the weekend.

Tang said direct cross-strait transportation links must follow the "point-to-point and fixed route" principle to avoid having Taiwan's national security compromised.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday where the nation's first assessment report on the impact of direct cross-strait transportation was unveiled, Tang said the military would face daunting challenges in talks about opening direct shipping or flights across the Strait.

It is the military's responsibility to come up with well-devised measures to meet the needs that arise from the opening, Tang said.

According to Beijing's defense white paper, Tang said, Chinese authorities will never renounce the use of force against Taiwan and will not allow the current separation of the two sides of the Strait to continue indefinitely.

Worse still, Tang said, China has adjusted its military deployment by placing emphasis on the southeastern coastal region that lies opposite Taiwan.

Tang said China has deployed more guided ballistic missiles and new types of fighters, warships and submarines in its southeastern provinces, and the People's Liberation Army regularly conducts combined services drills with Taiwan as the objective.

Although the Taiwan Strait provides a natural buffer for Taiwan, Tang said direct cross-strait flights will pose a grave threat to Taiwan's security as it takes only three to five minutes for Chinese jet fighters to reach Taiwan should the fighters take off from Pingtan in Fujian Province heading to Hsinchu.

Officials wondered who would guarantee that Chinese airplanes or ships crossing the Strait are not equipped with monitoring equipment for military espionage.

Meanwhile, many Taiwanese academics who are familiar with national defense said the nation should attach equal importance to defense preparedness and direct cross-strait transportation links.

Chang Wu-yueh (張五岳) from Tamkang University said the armed forces should be prepared for any military situation, whether there will be direct cross-strait transportation links or not.

"The people's will to resist, which could be reduced once direct cross-strait transportation links are opened, is a more important issue to tackle," Chang said.
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