Taiwanese president reviews security issues

The new president of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian, has used his first full day in office to visit front-line defences against an invasion from China.

Mr Chen said his visit to the 40,000 troops stationed on the heavily-fortified island of Kinmen, close to the coast of the Chinese mainland, highlighted the attention he gave to national security.

Mr Chen also promised that his administration would review what he called Taiwan's outdated and inflexible policy banning direct trade, transport and postal links with the mainland.

He said negotiations with Beijing on the direct links issue would be kept open, provided Taiwanese security was not compromised.

China on Sunday criticised Mr Chen as being evasive on the 'One China' principle, by which Beijing says Taiwan is part of China.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service