Taiwan feels heat from China's manned space flight

TAIPEI (AFP) Oct 21, 2003
Taiwan said for the first time Tuesday that rival China's landmark manned space flight, a crucial step in Beijing's space technology development, posed a threat to the island.

Taiwan's defense ministry, which had issued no comment on the manned space flight, broke its silence Tuesday saying it felt a military threat stemming from China's space development.

China's space technology, which produced the successful launch of Shenzhou V, "will enable the Chinese communists to have the prior control capability," Taiwan's defense ministry spokesman Huang Suey-sheng told reporters.

He said the defense ministry will follow up the development.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Thursday "there will be no limit to the suspicions" when he was asked about concerns, particularly strong in the US media, that China might use its space technology for military purposes.

China completed its first manned space flight Thursday when the Shenzhou V capsule with astronaut Yang Liwei returned to Earth, landing safely in a desert in Inner Mongolia.

China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island declare independence from the mainland.

SPACE.WIRE