May 5, 2004

TAIPEI - Taiwan said yesterday it was watching closely any military movement in rival China amid concerns that it might flex its muscle during President Chen Shui-bian's inauguration this month.

Drawing much of Taiwan's attention was a fleet of eight Chinese warships making a port call in Hong Kong.

'We will keep an eye on where they are going to sail,' Defence Ministry spokesman Huang Suey-sheng said.

He said there had not been any 'abnormal movement' or sign of military exercises among troops on mainland China opposite Taiwan.

Eight Chinese warships - two guided-missile destroyers, four frigates and two submarines - and 1,500 officers arrived in Hong Kong last Friday for a six-day stopover.

Officials said the parade of naval hardware was to mark the 55th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy, but some observers said it was also meant to warn Taiwan against any moves towards independence.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has said it would invade if the island declared independence or descended into chaos.

The commander of the Chinese task force in Hong Kong, Vice-Admiral Yao Xingyuan, said of Taiwan last week: 'We, the Chinese People's Liberation Army, are ready for the call from our country. We have the capability of maintaining the political stability of Taiwan.'

But the admiral also said the Chinese navy would need more muscle than it has now.

'The PLA must prepare to deal with US intervention,' The Standard daily quoted him as saying.

Taiwan newspapers have said the Chinese naval fleet could patrol the Taiwan Strait or hold drills to coincide with Mr Chen's May 20 inauguration, during which he is expected to speak on the ties between Taipei and Beijing.

Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) parliamentarian Sun Kauo-hwa, a member of Parliament's defence committee, said it was likely the fleet would show its strength ahead of the inauguration.

'The warships might sail to the South China Sea as part of Beijing's efforts to claim sovereignty to the disputed Spratly Islands,' he said.

'On the other hand, the warships are very likely to show their strength before Chen's inauguration.

'If they hold an exercise, whatever its form, it could spark panic in Taiwan.'

Despite the concerns, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said it does not plan to heighten its vigilance for the inauguration.

Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, however, told the Taiwan media that he had made enough preparations to keep his city shielded from attacks by China on May 20. He did not specify what those were.

Mr Chen's Democratic Progressive Party plans to invite up to 200,000 people to the inauguration, to be held in Taipei, despite opposition threats to hold a mass protest unless Mr Chen agrees to set up an independent probe into a mysterious election-eve shooting in which he and his deputy Annette Lu were slightly injured.

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