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Myers warns China over missile threat

The US' top military officer yesterday said that China had built up a "very large" missile arsenal opposite Taiwan and cautioned that Washington was committed to helping the nation defend itself.

"The US is committed to helping Taiwan maintain its ability to resist the use of force or coercion to solve this problem," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers told journalists as he wrapped up a two-day visit to China, during which he met the country's top military brass.

"And it is not just a one-sided issue," he said when questioned by Chinese journalists on US arms sales to Taipei.

"In fact, if you look at the build-up on the Chinese mainland side of the [Taiwan] Strait in terms of surface-to-surface missiles, you would see a very large build-up. And China continues to build up its capability opposite Taiwan.

"Our responsibility under the Taiwan Relations Act is to assist Taiwan in its ability to defend itself. Again, so there will be a peaceful resolution to the problem and no temptation to use force," he said.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) plans to hold the nation's first referendum in tandem with the presidential poll on March 20.

Chen hopes the referendum will send Beijing a clear message that the nation is unhappy about the hundreds of ballistic missiles deployed against it.

Last month, US President George W. Bush publicly rebuked Chen's plan and Myers repeated the stance yesterday, but also warned China the US would not stand by if it used force.

"President Bush could not have been clearer when he was speaking to Premier Wen [Jiabao (溫家寶)] that the US will resist any attempts to use coercion to solve the problem between China and Taiwan," Myers said.

"Again, I think all three parties in this case understand that very thoroughly," he said.

Meanwhile, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said on Wednesday that one of the reasons ties between the US and Taiwan were so close was that democracy continued to flourish in Taiwan.

Addressing foreign correspondents at the New York Foreign Press Center, Ereli said the US-Taiwan relationship was marked by a couple of constants, including US "appreciation for and support of Taiwan's democracy and democratic development."

He added that Bush "has been very clear and uncompromising on the issue of Taiwan's security and our commitment to that."

Ereli said the US believes that "the way to solve cross-strait tensions in the Taiwan Strait is through a cross-strait dialogue rather than statements here and statements there."

Stressing that the US government was taking very seriously the commitments made by Chen in his inaugural speech, Ereli said the US opposed any attempt by either Taiwan or China to unilaterally change the status quo.

"In that regard, we would be opposed to any [referendum] that would change Taiwan's status and move toward independence," he added.
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