China Massing Troops Near Taiwan

China has massed troops, warplanes and ships within sight of two Taiwanese islands nearest the mainland, and Taiwan reacted Tuesday by placing its military on higher alert.

In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry assailed China’s show of force, saying it is time for the country to demonstrate it is “a responsible world power.”

The escalation of military might between the two rivals has generated the most tension since the 1960s, when they exchanged almost daily artillery barrages across the Formosa Strait.

Western diplomatic sources expressed concern that such nerve-wracking gamesmanship could precipitate an incident with disastrous consequences.

According to a Taiwanese Defense Ministry statement, China has deployed 150,000 troops along the Fujian coastline opposite Taiwan. China’s air force has massed 226 aircraft at 11 airports along a 250-mile stretch of coastline.

“This is getting scary and could easily get out of hand,” said an Asian military attache in Beijing.

Some Chinese troops and amphibious landing craft were reported less than 4 miles from the island of Quemoy, which still bears scars from past artillery fire from the mainland. Two more Chinese amphibious craft were sighted near Taiwan’s Matsu island.

Both sides on Tuesday blamed each other for the rising tension. A statement by Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said its armed forces, particularly on the outlying islands of Quemoy and Matsu, were now on alert “to resolutely defend against any provocative action by the enemy.”

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang blamed Taiwan for “the turmoil.” He said Taipei should indicate clearly that it has abandoned its “splittist” policies that seek a greater measure of independence.

His comment was interpreted as a signal soliciting a pledge from Taiwan that it is returning to the road of negotiated reunification on the basis of “One China, Two Systems,” similar to the autonomy granted to Hong Kong when it reverts to China next year.