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Military shows its might today in display for public

Taiwan plans to show off its military might today in its biggest public display of the year -- an exercise involving missile ships, helicopters and tanks defending against invading forces.

Analysts said the show will be especially important as President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is seeking re-election and the military is hoping for a bigger budget. The event will also remind the public about the growing threat of China, they said.

"The exercise is designed to show the public, China and the rest of the world that Taiwan has the determination to protect itself," said Andrew Yang (楊念祖), secretary general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, a Taipei think tank.

Today's event is part of a series of annual military exercises called "Han Kuang," or "Chinese Glory." Most of the drills, usually held in March and April, are closed to the public.

But the military traditionally stages a special display for the media and diplomats that is more of a highly choreographed public relations spectacle than a formal exercise.

The president attends the event and an officer with a microphone usually provides running commentary, enthusiastically announcing when a missile hits its target.

The show has often been a reflection of Taiwan's political climate and its relations with China, which claims the self-ruled nation as its property and should eventually agree to unify or face war.

Shortly after Chen was elected four years ago, he tried to ease tensions with China by staging non-provocative military displays. The public exercises focused on reservists building bridges and setting up medical tents. No shots were fired.

Now the president is hoping for another four-year term after elections in March and he wants to show voters that he has maintained a robust, well-organized military that can deal with a growing Chinese threat, said Philip Yang (楊永明), political science professor at National Taiwan University,

"The event will remind the Taiwanese people of the constant military threat," he said.

Yang said the display will also serve to show lawmakers that the military's spiraling budget is being put to good use. Next year's budget is valued at NT$265 billion dollars (US$7.75 billion).

Summer is also the season when China's massive military holds war games across the 160km-wide Taiwan Strait.

In recent years, China has played up reports of the war games to intimidate Taiwanese politicians who oppose unification. Pro-China newspapers in Hong Kong have published long stories and photos of Chinese troops storming beaches in mock invasions of islands.

So far this year, there haven't been many threatening reports about Chinese drills.

Andrew Yang said this is partly because China is conducting a lot of computer simulation exercises instead of traditional war games.

"All kinds of exercises can be simulated now," he said.

Philip Yang said that China has learned that attempts to intimidate Taiwan backfire and create more anti-China feelings in Taiwan.

He also thinks China has become more confident that it will have the upper hand over Taiwan in the long run.

"I believe China believes that time is on its side and all it has to do is wait and keep the military option as the last resort," he said.
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