Taiwan tests air defence missiles

Taiwan says it is responding to Chinese moves

By Damian Grammaticas BBC Taiwan correspondent

Taiwan has staged its first public test-firing of a locally-made surface-to-air missile, part of plans to upgrade the island's defences.

The trial of a long-range Sky Bow II missile and three US-made Hawk missiles was witnessed by President Chen Shui-bian at a missile base in southern Taiwan.

The Taiwanese missile hit its target

The Sky Bow II destroyed its target 120 kilometres out at sea.

The test-firing came a day after President Chen said he wanted to resume talks with China. His offer to send a delegation to Beijing has been welcomed by opposition lawmakers on the island.

The Taiwanese-made Sky Bows will supplement 200 US-made Patriots that are deployed to protect Taiwanese cities.

Taiwan is upgrading its defences because China is building up its own missile forces targeting the island, and has been buying advanced Russian fighter aircraft.

President Chen said the main purpose of the test was "to give Taiwan sufficient self-defences, not to engage in an arms race with Communist China".

Talks offer

On Thursday, Taiwan's leader said he wanted a high-level delegation from his ruling DPP Party to travel to China as a first step towards resuming talks Beijing broke off three years ago.

Although the Taiwan Strait looks peaceful now, communist China has not publicly abandoned its policy to attack Taiwan

Chen Shui-bian

He invited China's leaders to drink tea and exchange views with him, as a way to build trust and avoid misunderstandings.

Lawmakers from Taiwan's two main opposition parties, the KMT and the PFP, have welcomed the overture as a positive development.

China has so far rejected all contact with President Chen and his government because his party has traditionally supported independence for Taiwan.

Earlier this year though, it invited what it described as non-independence minded members of his party to visit the Chinese mainland.

On Thursday, President Chen indicated his desire for closer economic links with China. He said a "normalisation of cross-strait ties must start from trade and economic relations" before any political reconciliation can take place.

His offer of talks may well be rejected as China is preparing for major leadership changes and will be unlikely to welcome a delegation from Taiwan before the new leaders are in place.