|
 |
| Taiwan's Vice President Lu raps China over air space move |
|
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 17-Dec-2007 03:36 hrs |
|
| Taiwan's Vice President Annette Lu, pictured March 2007, on Sunday accused China of interfering with the island's upcoming parliamentary and presidential polls by trying to squeeze its air space. |
| |
|
|
Taiwan's Vice President Annette Lu on Sunday accused China of interfering with the island's upcoming parliamentary and presidential polls by trying to squeeze its air space.. Lu said that on November 26 China, via Hong Kong's aviation authorities, added a new flight route in the Taiwan Strait that is 42 miles (67.2 kilometres) closer to the centre of the strait -- a "middle line" that has been observed for decades by Taiwan and China to prevent unexpected clashes.. The new flight route was endorsed by China's Central Military Commission on December 5, said Lu, an outspoken critic of China.. In so doing, the Taiwan air force's two existing bombing practice areas in the Strait will be cut and their training capacity reduced, she said in Taipei while campaigning for a legislative election candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.. "The move is apparently another territory claim by China," Lu said, adding that the chances of unexpected clashes between the two sides may go up.. Since the measure came shortly before Taiwan's scheduled parliamentary vote on January 12 and the presidential election on March 22, Lu claimed that "it is China's 'dirty trick' to create conflicts in the Strait during the election campaign period".. Beijing has been irked by plans of Taiwan's independence-leaning President Chen Shui-bian to hold a referendum on joining the United Nations alongside the presidential vote.. The United States, Taipei's ally, has publicly opposed the controversial plan, fearing it would aggravate cross-strait tensions.. Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war, and while the island has since governed itself, Beijing considers it part of its own territory awaiting reunification.. Taiwan, under its official name the Republic of China, lost its UN seat to China in 1971. Its efforts to rejoin using its official name have been repeatedly blocked by Beijing, a permanent member of the UN Security Council.. Chen has repeatedly said Taiwan is a sovereign state, but has also promised not to declare formal independence during his time in office. — AFP
|
