Taiwan says China's missiles to exceed 1,800 by 2010

Feb 7, 2006, 13:29 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan said Tuesday the number of missiles deployed by China will exceed 1,800 by 2010, posing a serious threat to the island.

'According to our estimation, by 2010, the number of ballistic and guided missiles deployed by China will exceed 1,800, while the number of submarines will reach 50 by 2015,' the assessment office of the defence ministry said in a report.

China currently has more than 700 missiles targeting the island. It also has 32 conventional and nuclear-powered submarines.

The office noted that if Taiwan fails to quickly buy a controversial arms package from the United States, the military balance in the Taiwan Strait will tilt toward China this year.

The office did not reveal how it came up with those figures, but it is generally believed they were provided by the United States, the island's long-time arms supplier and informal ally.

Taiwan has decided to buy six batteries of anti-missile Patriot PAC-III systems, eight conventional submarines and 12 submarine-hunting P3-C aircraft in a deal approved by Washington in 2001 despite strong protest by China, a rival of Taiwan since the two sides split at the end of a civil war in 1949.

But opposition parliamentarians have refused to approve the budget proposal - roughly 14 billion US dollars - by the defence ministry, claiming the amount is much higher than market prices.

Washington has asked the island to quickly honour the deal to show it has the determination to defend itself, saying the island cannot just rely on the United States to send forces to help in the event of a cross-strait war.

Beijing has repeatedly warned that if Taiwan - which it regards as a Chinese province - declares formal independence from the mainland, it will attack the island.