04-02-2004, 11:42 AM
<b>US to deploy task force in Taiwan Strait </b>
1 April 2004: The United States has decided to send the USS Roosevelt and USS Reagan to the Taiwan Strait to counter Chinaâs deployment of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan.
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian won the 20-March elections by 30,000 votes leading to allegations of rigging, and China has stepped in on the side of the Opposition, because Chen seeks separation from Mainland China.
Diplomats said that last Friday, following Taiwanâs urgent pleas for assistance, the US sent a message to China calling for restraint, but China went ahead and deployed the M-18 and DF-21 missiles secretly, although they were detected by American military satellites.
Following this, the US commerce department approved emergency sale of ultra-high-frequency early warning radar systems to Taiwan, prompting fierce Chinese criticism hours ago, with the foreign-office saying it would send a âwrong signalâ to the Taiwanese separatists.
Sources said that sometime yesterday, a decision was also taken to deploy the two carrier task forces in the Taiwan Strait, and the US could also be preparing to give anti-ballistic missiles to Taiwan.
A face-off is building up in the Taiwan Strait, because China put out a very strong statement hours ago, saying, âOn the Taiwan issue, which is related to Chinaâs sovereignty and territorial integrity, we show no tolerance to any move that is harmful to Chinaâs core interest by an outside force.â
1 April 2004: The United States has decided to send the USS Roosevelt and USS Reagan to the Taiwan Strait to counter Chinaâs deployment of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan.
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian won the 20-March elections by 30,000 votes leading to allegations of rigging, and China has stepped in on the side of the Opposition, because Chen seeks separation from Mainland China.
Diplomats said that last Friday, following Taiwanâs urgent pleas for assistance, the US sent a message to China calling for restraint, but China went ahead and deployed the M-18 and DF-21 missiles secretly, although they were detected by American military satellites.
Following this, the US commerce department approved emergency sale of ultra-high-frequency early warning radar systems to Taiwan, prompting fierce Chinese criticism hours ago, with the foreign-office saying it would send a âwrong signalâ to the Taiwanese separatists.
Sources said that sometime yesterday, a decision was also taken to deploy the two carrier task forces in the Taiwan Strait, and the US could also be preparing to give anti-ballistic missiles to Taiwan.
A face-off is building up in the Taiwan Strait, because China put out a very strong statement hours ago, saying, âOn the Taiwan issue, which is related to Chinaâs sovereignty and territorial integrity, we show no tolerance to any move that is harmful to Chinaâs core interest by an outside force.â