This in today:
http://www.washtimes.com/national/default-2000328225110.htm
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Chinese bases near
Taiwan sport defense
missiles
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
China is fielding new advanced air-defense
missiles opposite Taiwan that U.S. intelligence
officials say will increase the danger of a military
confrontation along the Taiwan Strait, The
Washington Times has learned.
Construction of two new surface-to-air missile
bases is being monitored closely by Pentagon spy
agencies. When completed, they will bolster a base
at Longtian, near Fuzhou, where several batteries of
Russian-made S-300 missiles already are deployed.
The defensive missiles are part of an ongoing
military buildup by the People's Liberation Army
opposite Taiwan that includes the deployment of
several hundred short-range offensive missiles. The
Defense Intelligence Agency recently stated in a
report that the offensive CSS-6 and CSS-7 missiles
could knock out most of Taiwan's military bases with
little or no warning.
Along with the Longtian missiles, additional
S-300s will be set up near the coastal cities of
Xiamen and Shantou in the next several weeks, the
officials told The Times.
U.S. officials discussed some aspects of the new
Chinese air-defense missile site construction on the
condition of anonymity.
Disclosure of the latest Chinese missile activity
came as the White House announced yesterday that
National Security Adviser Samuel R. Berger will
travel to Beijing today for talks with Chinese leaders.
"Taiwan will come up," said one official familiar with
plans for the visit.
The S-300 missiles, although used for air defense,
enhance China's ability to attack Taiwan because the
systems provide protection for Chinese offensive
missile forces and aircraft, the officials said.
"The S-300s have a much greater range, are
faster and carry bigger warheads" than the SA-2
missiles now deployed along the coast, said one
defense official. "They are much harder to avoid for
pilots."
The S-300s double the range of China's force of
SA-2s near Taiwan, allowing the missiles to strike
Taiwanese warplanes much farther from the coast
and before they cross the demarcation line running
through the Taiwan Strait, according to the officials.
The added range increases the danger of a
confrontation, said the officials. Chinese and
Taiwanese fighter planes have flown large numbers of
missions close to the demarcation line since last
summer in the most visible sign of increased tensions.
Relations between China and Taiwan worsened
after statements by Taiwanese President Lee Tenghui
last year. Mr. Lee said ties should be based on
state-to-state relations. Beijing interpreted the
remarks as a step toward independence, which
Chinese officials said would lead to war.
The current surface-to-air batteries are unable to
hit aircraft until they are within a few miles of the
coastline.
The S-300 missiles also give Chinese forces
greater capability to attack U.S. sea-launched cruise
missiles and aircraft, should the United States be
called upon to defend Taiwan against a mainland
attack.
The S-300s, also known as SA-10s by the
Pentagon, are Russia's most modern high-speed
anti-aircraft missiles. They are replacing China's
less-capable SA-2 missiles throughout the region.
According to the intelligence officials, the Chinese
have six SA-2 missile sites near Taiwan. Those
SA-2s are deployed at several airfields stretching
from Fuzhou in the north to Zhangzhou, near Xiamen,
as well as the military airfield at Liancheng, farther
west.
China made a series of military threats against
Taiwan in recent weeks leading up to the Taiwanese
presidential elections. An official Beijing government
white paper said the mainland would attack the island
if Taiwan refuses to negotiate reunification.
Disclosure of the People's Liberation Army
construction comes as the Clinton administration is
debating whether to supply Taiwan with advanced
weapons, including high-speed anti-radiation missiles
called HARMs, which could be used against the new
S-300s.
According to defense sources, the administration
has decided against allowing Taiwan to purchase
HARMs, which this year are part of Taipei's annual
request for arms.
A decision on Taiwan's request is expected to be
announced in the next several weeks.
A U.S. spy satellite photographed one of the new
S-300 sites near Xiamen and Zhangzhou in
November and the base was expected to become
operational around this time, defense officials said.
Zhangzhou is a major Chinese air force base,
where large numbers of H-5 fighter bombers and
F-7 jets are based.
Richard Fisher, a specialist on the Chinese
military and an analyst with the Jamestown
Foundation, said the Chinese air defense
developments show the need for the United States to
provide Taiwan with better U.S. weapons.
Mr. Fisher said China's air force recently
purchased a number of advanced Su-30 warplanes
from Russia that will be equipped with air-launched
missiles, including anti-radar missiles similar to the
HARM and other highly accurate U.S. air-launched
missiles.
"The PLA is getting a long-range precision-attack
missile, anti-radiation missiles and is deploying more
long-range [surface-to-air] missiles at a time when
the administration is refusing to sell Taiwan any
systems that can counter these new weapons," Mr.
Fisher said.
The failure to provide Taiwan with HARMs
would be a violation of the Taiwan Relations Act,
which allows the United States to sell defensive arms
to Taiwan, Mr. Fisher said.
Adm. Dennis Blair, commander of the U.S.
forces in the Pacific, said recently that China's missile
buildup near Taiwan has created a destabilizing
imbalance.
The United States has supplied Taiwan with some
air-defense weapons, including Patriot anti-aircraft
systems, E-2 airborne early warning planes, and
older Nike, Hawk and Chaparral anti-aircraft
missiles.
However, many officials in the administration are
opposing sales of more advanced weapons, including
HARMs and other missiles, early warning radar and
four Aegis battle management-equipped warships
that could provide a base for short-range
missile-defense systems.
China's government has said it opposes the
warship sales and any transfers of U.S. theater
missile-defense systems.[/quote]
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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!