TAIWAN: TAIWAN STRENGTHENS ITS MILITARY IN WAKE OF CHEN SHUI BIEN'S ELECTION VICTORY

Record ID: 496371

  • Title: TAIWAN: TAIWAN STRENGTHENS ITS MILITARY IN WAKE OF CHEN SHUI BIEN'S ELECTION VICTORY
  • Date: 21st March 2000
  • Summary: TAIPEI, TAIWAN (MARCH 21, 2000) (REUTERS 1. WIDE: DEFENCE MINISTRY BRIEFING 0.06 2. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) KUNG FAN-DING, SPOKESMAN, SAYING: "Communist troops are engaging in routine training missions. We have not discovered any large-scale military training exercises." 0.22 3. C/A: JOURNALISTS 0.28 QUEMOY, TAIWAN (RECENT - MARCH 13, 2000) (REUTERS 4. VARIOUS OF TAIWAN SOLDIERS PATROLLING FRONTLINE ISLAND OF QUEMOY (ISLAND FACES MAINLAND CHINA) (10 SHOTS) 1.22 TAIPEI, TAIWAN (MARCH 21, 2000) (REUTERS 5. SLV: TAIWAN PRESIDENT-ELECT CHEN SHUI-BIAN ARRIVING 1.32 6. SLV: CHEN ENTERING CHURCH 1.37 7. MV: PEOPLE LISTENING 1.42 8. SV: CHEN SINGING 1.52 9. MV: PEOPLE LISTENING 1.56 10. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHEN SAYING: "With justice and fairness, Taiwan will improve... We have to be sharp and quick in seeking peace across the Taiwan Strait." 2.14 11. WIDE: ROOM 2.20 12. LV: TAIPEI STREET 2.25 13. SV: TAIPEI BROKERAGE EXTERIOR 2.31 14. BV: INVESTORS LOOKING AT STOCK PRICES 2.37 15. CU: MONITOR SHOWING STOCK PRICES 2.45 16. SV: STOCKBROKERS 2.50 17. CU: STOCK PRICES ON MONITOR 2.55 18. WIDE/MV: STOCKBROKERS LOOKING AT SCREEN (2 SHOTS) 3.02 19. SLV: WORKERS AT TERMINALS 3.13 20. BV: PEOPLE LOOKING AT STOCK PRICES (3 SHOTS) 3.24 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th April 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TAIPEI AND QUEMOY, TAIWAN
  • Country: Taiwan
  • Reuters ID: LVAAXYNTQGWRA1285FG6XL2P3RTN
  • Story Text: Taiwan's military has said that Chinese armed forces
    are holding purely routine training missions, while Taiwan is
    continuously strengthening its own forces in the aftermath of
    Chen Shui-bian's victory - the candidate Beijing disliked
    most.

    At a news briefing on Tuesday (March 21), the Taiwan
    Defence Ministry spokesman King Fan-ding said Taiwan would
    continue to monitor any movements by the 2.5 million-strong
    People's Liberation Army.

    "Communist troops are engaging in routine training
    missions.We have not discovered any large-scale military
    training exercises."
    Kung added that Taiwan's military will remain loyal to
    the country's newly-elected president, opposition candidate
    Chen Shui-bian and stressed that according to the constitution
    the president was the head of national troops.

    China intensified threats against Taiwan in the run-up
    to the island's presidential elections, won by
    pro-independence candidate Chen Shui-bian last Saturday (March
    18).

    Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province,
    has threatened to invade if the island declared independence.

    The Taiwan front island of Quemoy was quiet on Tuesday
    with soldiers patrolling regularly.

    Chen has offered a "peace summit" with Beijing to ease
    tensions, but on terms which China has said it cannot accept.

    Chen, who spent Tuesday (March 21) morning visiting a
    Presbyterian Church, has insisted the island be treated as an
    equal in any talks.He has said he's ready to discuss "one
    China" , seen as a concession of sorts to Beijing, but "one
    China" could not be the basis of discussions.

    Chinese President Jiang Zemin made clear on Monday that
    Chen's terms for discussions were unacceptable.

    Despite the tension, investors seem to be unfazed.

    Taiwan's key stock index on Tuesday rebounded more than
    five percent as bargain hunters piled in after the index's
    recent sharp falls triggered by election worries.

    Chen received 4.9 million votes and independent
    candidate James Soong got 4.6 million, while Vice President
    Lien Chan of the ruling Nationalist Party trailed with 2.9
    million votes.


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