Officials took an early interest in `spy satellite'

Taiwanese intelligence and security officials took a close interest in the development of what China sees as a spy satellite, a media report said yesterday.

Taiwan says the satellite, which was launched in May in the US, is intended to monitor the nation's land mass and surrounding waters, and study atmospheric conditions.

China fears the satellite, designed to transmit high-resolution photos of areas as small as 2m, could be used for military purposes.

A Chinese-language newspaper quoted an unidentified official as saying that national security authorities had sent staff to meetings and voiced demands on collecting information while the satellite was still on the drawing board.

The paper also quoted a note about the satellite which was made by the then-top intelligence chief, Yin Tsung-wen (殷宗文), in 1999.

The note read: "German company delays ROCSAT-2." Yin made the note two months before the government confirmed that under pressure from Beijing the German government might forbid a German company manufacturing the satellite.

Taiwan eventually scrapped the contract with the German firm and gave it to Astrium of France.

The 750kg satellite, with a lifespan of five years, is in a 890km high orbit. The total cost of the project is NT$4.7 billion (US$1.18 billion).

In October 1991 the government launched a 15-year space program at an estimated cost of US$19.6 billion.

Military analysts said that without its own spy satellite, Taiwan could hardly establish a functional missile defense system.