Taiwan MOFA voices concern over China-Russia military exercises

Taiwan News
Aug. 19, 2005

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs voiced a high degree of concern on Thursday over an ongoing China-Russia joint military exercise and urged China to withdraw its missiles aimed at Taiwan.

Peace and security in the Taiwan Strait is of extremely vital importance to the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world, and no country in the region is allowed to do anything that threatens regional peace and stability, foreign ministry spokesman Michel Lu told reporters.

Lu called on China to withdraw the more than 700 missiles deployed in its southeastern coastal region targeting Taiwan as soon as possible, adding that the foreign ministry will closely watch the first-ever joint war games between the two countries, which kicked off the same day on the Chinese Shandong peninsula near South Korea and Japan.

The China-Russia joint military drills are set to involve 10,000 troops from land, sea and air forces during an eight-day period, in which the participation of Russia-made Tu-95 strategic bombers and Tu-22M long-range bombers have drawn the attention of many observers. Analysts pointed out that they are advanced warplanes that usually do not take part in a peacetime operations.

Both Beijing and Moscow have said that the demonstration of their military might is not aimed at any third country.

The exercises "are being run under the goals and principles of the U.N., and are not directed against a third country and don't concern the interests of other countries," said Chinese General Liang Guanglie.

"The goal is peaceful," said Russia's top officer, General Yuri Baluyevsky.

Liang denied the moves to strengthen ties between Beijing and Moscow would lead to some kind of military union or the two countries fighting together against any common foe.