Thursday, August 12, 1999
PLA mobilises huge back-up
force
STAFF REPORTERS and
AGENCIES
The PLA has mobilised thousands of militiamen and reservists, part
of a military build-up in the Fujian region to pressure Taiwan.
A defence source said yesterday most of these non-regular forces
- including demobilised soldiers - would come from Fujian.
The rest of the planned force of more than 500,000 would be drawn
from provinces in the Nanjing Military Region, which has
responsibility for Taiwan.
The source said training had started for thousands of militiamen
and reservists. Most have regular jobs and in normal times their
main function is to help to maintain law and order.
While the leadership had yet to decide on any action to be taken
against Taiwan, the mobilisation of non-regular forces showed
Beijing did not rule out the possibility of a large-scale military
engagement, he added.
A Western diplomat said a senior Politburo member had given a
three-point instruction on securing victory should force be used.
"We should only fight a war for which we are well prepared," the
senior cadre reportedly said.
"We should only fight a war that we are sure to win. We should
overwhelm the enemy by outnumbering them by huge margins."
The diplomat said it might explain the planned large-scale
mobilisation of both regular PLA soldiers and militiamen in
frontline areas, particularly Fujian.
"To overwhelm the 400,000 strong Taiwan Army by large margins,
Beijing has to use a good chunk of the 2.5 million-strong PLA," he
said.
"And the militiamen and reservists, who won't leave the mainland,
will temporarily handle the duties of regular soldiers engaged in
the Taiwan theatre."
Meanwhile, the mainland propaganda machine intensified the
psychological warfare against Taipei by boasting that should war
break out, the island could not resist for more than five days.
"How many days can the 400,000-man 'Nationalist army' resist?"
asked the front-page headline of the China Business Times News
Weekly.
"Once war breaks out, resistance would be four to five days at
the most," said the newspaper, which splashed pictures of jet
fighters and missiles alongside the story.
The newspaper said speculation that China would not go to war
because it was in the midst of economic development was "completely
wrong".
It said China had not moved against Taiwan in part because it did
not want to see President Lee Teng-hui declare martial law and put
off presidential elections due next March.
The official China Defence News said Beijing's resolve to stop
Taiwan from bolting should not be underestimated.
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