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‘Highly unacceptable’: Taiwan rejects Beijing’s ‘one country, two systems’ plans for unification
- Island says it is absurd for Beijing to promote its so-called peaceful unification scheme while surrounding Taiwan with war games
- Island’s top weapons maker says it will conduct missile tests this month
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Taiwan has flatly rejected a policy white paper issued by Beijing as highly unacceptable, saying cross-strait unification and “one country, two systems” would never be options for the self-ruled island.
It also plans to stage four days of missile tests later this month in waters off Taiwan’s east coast – one of the areas where the People’s Liberation Army just concluded a series of massive war games to intimidate the island.
According to the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, the island’s top weapons maker, it will conduct missile tests on August 18-19 and August 25-26 in areas off southeastern and eastern Taiwan.
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The tests will be held about 200km (125 miles) from Taitung facing the Pacific Ocean and will not cross the median line in the Taiwan Strait, the de facto boundary between the two sides.
Taiwan’s Central News Agency quoted a retired official from the institute as saying the tests were expected to involve Hsiung Sheng surface-to-surface missiles, which can reach as far north as Qingdao in the mainland province of Shandong.
03:50
Mainland China white paper declares ‘greatest sincerity’ for peaceful reunification with Taiwan
Mainland China white paper declares ‘greatest sincerity’ for peaceful reunification with Taiwan
The tests follow massive PLA drills encircling Taiwan in retaliation for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island, which Beijing repeatedly warned against.
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