Taiwan reported to have test-fired anti-ship missile
Jan 7, 2005
TAIPEI - Taiwan successfully test-fired a new locally developed supersonic anti-ship missile that could reach the coast of rival China, a newspaper reported on Friday.
The mass-circulation daily China Times said the Hsiung Feng III has a range of 300km, enough to hit China, 160km across the Taiwan Strait.
The island regularly tests its defences and considers missiles from China as one of its major security threats.
The new missile is believed to outperform a similar weapon in China's arsenal, the Russian-made Sunburn.
The Hsiung Feng III had been fired from southern Taiwan in the direction of the Pacific more than a month ago in the presence of Defence Minister Lee Jye, the China Times said.
'The number of test-firings was not just once,' the paper quoted an anonymous military source as saying.
The missile has been under development for a decade and failed several early tests, the China Times said. The paper said it wasn't known whether the successful tests mean the weapon is ready for mass production.
Taiwan's Defence Ministry declined to comment on the report. -- AP
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