TAIWAN yesterday started two days of major live fire war games only a week before Hong Kong returns to China, brushing aside US and Chinese warnings the manoeuvres could further heighten tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
President Lee Teng hui, accompanied by the Prime Minister and VicePresident, Mr Lien Chan, the Defence Minister, Mr Chiang Chungling, and other high ranking military officers did not make speeches when he inspected the advanced weapons on display at two military bases.
But Mr Lee, whom Beijing regards as a separatist, is expected to deliver an address at the end of the war games today.
Mr Lee, in a black suit despite the hot weather, was greeted by a 21 gun salute and military band on his arrival at the Tsoying naval base in the southern Taiwan county of Kaohsiung. He was whisked away to review the naval fleet, which stretched for three kilometres.
"You see the 10 blue stars on the front battery of the Lafayette class frigate?" asked a naval officer who briefed journalists on the capability of warships on display.
"The figure indicated that the battery alone has successfully hit 10 targets in routine exercises since the frigate was commissioned last year," the proud officer said.
Taipei in 1992 struck a $2.8 billion deal with France, placing an order for the purchase of six such frigates, which are known for their advanced "stealth" technology. The nationalist navy has put three of the frigates into service.
Around 200 journalists representing local media and those from France, the United States, Britain, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia were covering the war games.
Also on display were two Perry class frigates, two guided missile frigates, two guided missile destroyers, two New Portclass tank landing craft vessels and two Dutch built submarines.
Altogether 4,749 officers and military personnel were reviewed during the show of force.
The exercise was preceded by another held at the Tainan air base in the morning. Mr Lee was driven around the base where the newly purchased US made F-16 and French made Mirage 2000-5 jet fighters and Mica and Magic missiles to be fitted to the aircraft were displayed.
Also on display were E-2T AWACS (Airborne Early Warning and Command System) aircraft, and other imported missiles, as well as Taiwan made Ching Kuo warplanes, also known as IDFs (Indigenous Defence Fighters), tanks and Sky Bow and Hornet missiles. Cannons and attack, anti submarine and surveillance helicopters were also put on show.
The military has denied that the exercise was designed as a provocative show of force.