Taiwan's Vice President Lu raps China over air space move

By TODAYonline.com
17 December 2007

Taiwan's Vice President Annette Lu on Sunday accused China of interfering with the island's upcoming parliamentary and presidential polls by trying to squeeze its air space.

Lu said that on November 26 China, via Hong Kong's aviation authorities, added a new flight route in the Taiwan Strait that is 42 miles (67.2 kilometres) closer to the centre of the strait -- a "middle line" that has been observed for decades by Taiwan and China to prevent unexpected clashes.

The new flight route was endorsed by China's Central Military Commission on December 5, said Lu, an outspoken critic of China.

In so doing, the Taiwan air force's two existing bombing practice areas in the Strait will be cut and their training capacity reduced, she said in Taipei while campaigning for a legislative election candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

"The move is apparently another territory claim by China," Lu said, adding that the chances of unexpected clashes between the two sides may go up.

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