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China announces interceptor test | China announces interceptor test |
(about 3 hours later) | |
China says it has successfully tested military technology which intercepts missiles in mid-air. | China says it has successfully tested military technology which intercepts missiles in mid-air. |
A brief report on the state news agency said the test had been defensive and had not been targeted at any country. | A brief report on the state news agency said the test had been defensive and had not been targeted at any country. |
The test came a few days after the US approved selling air defence missiles to Taiwan despite Chinese protests. | |
China - which regards Taiwan as part of its territory - has warned the US that relations could be disrupted if the sale goes ahead. | China - which regards Taiwan as part of its territory - has warned the US that relations could be disrupted if the sale goes ahead. |
'Objective achieved' | |
A three-line statement from the official news agency Xinhua said only that China had tested a ground-based "missile interception technology" that had "achieved its expected objective". | |
China has dramatically increased defence spending in the past few years, in a bid to modernise its People's Liberation Army. | |
Taiwan estimates China has up to 1,500 missiles aimed at the self-ruled island. | |
Beijing is also thought to be building a navy that could block the US military from reaching the region if fighting broke out between China and Taiwan. | |
Taiwan relies on US arms sales and a guarantee of protection for its defence - and on 7 January the US agreed the sale of Patriot air defence missile systems to the island. | |
Several days beforehand, China warned such a deal could damage relations. | |
"We urge the US to recognise the gravity of selling arms to Taiwan," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said. | |
In the past, China has threatened to use force to reunite Taiwan with the mainland if the island declares formal independence. | |
But relations have improved since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008. |
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