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Military intensifies efforts to demine Kinmen, Matsu

The military is stepping up efforts to demine 15 minefields on Kinmen and Matsu in preparation for the development of the local tourism industry and economy, military sources said yesterday.

Sources said that the Army Command Headquarters will spend more than NT$510 million (US$15.5 million) between this year and 2009 on the demining operation.

The military deployed landmines in coastal regions after the Republic of China's seat of government moved from China to Taiwan in 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party came to power.

With improvements in cross-strait relations, the government has largely cut the number of troops stationed on the defense outposts and, starting in the early 1990s, eased many of the restrictions on civilian development in the area.

The landmines, deployed at the height of cross-strait tensions in the 1950s, have since become obstacles to development on the islands.

In response to appeals from local governments and travel industry groups, the Legislative Yuan passed a statute last year which requires that all anti-personnel landmines be removed from Kinmen and Matsu within seven years.

The Ministry of National Defense has a comprehensive demining plan, the sources said, adding that the ministry could appropriate as much as NT$4.2 billion for that purpose over the next seven years.

Meanwhile, the sources said the Ministry would organize a tour of the two islands later this month for local and foreign journalists to show the progress being made.

As the publicized ministry budget refers to funds for building and renovating military barracks and the procurement of camouflage paints and anti-thermal infrared camouflage nets, there has been wide speculation that the military will set up new surface-to-surface missile bases on the islands.

The ministry, however, has declined to comment on such reports, stating security considerations.
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