Reuters
Tue Apr 6, 2010

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou demanded on Tuesday that China remove missiles aimed at the island before any peace talks, comments that could slow recent momentum in relations, including two-way trade that has reached $109 billion.

Beijing must scrap or move missiles, which Taiwan suspects are piling up in China some 160 km (100 miles) away, to begin any discussion on a peace accord, an idea welcomed by both sides when Ma took office in 2008, the president told a group of U.S. scholars.

“We demand that mainland China scrap or remove missiles aimed at Taiwan,” Ma said, as quoted by Taiwan’s Central News Agency. “Otherwise, Taiwan will not take any further steps to discuss a peace accord with the mainland.”

His uncharacteristically strong remarks are seen helping to build a tough-on-Beijing image for Taiwan’s ruling Nationalist Party ahead of tense year-end local elections against Taiwan’s main opposition party, which generally takes a more anti-China line.    more …