Taiwan says has begun mass production of long-range missile

Taiwan has begun mass production of a long-range missile and is developing three other models, a senior official said on Thursday.

The rise in efforts to develop strike capacity happens amid growing Chinese pressure -- as it does not consider Taiwan independent, and tries to force the government in Taipei to accept Beijing's claims of sovereignty.

Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, to this end, said developing a long-range attack capability was a priority.

"We hope it is long-range, accurate and mobile," he said, adding research on such weapons by the state-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology had "never stopped".

The institute, which is leading Taiwan's weapon development efforts, has in recent months carried out a series of missile tests off its southeastern coast.

The institute's deputy director Leng Chin-hsu said one long-range, land-based missile had already entered production, with three other long-range missiles in development. Leng said it was "not convenient" for him to provide details on how far the missile could fly.

Taiwan's armed forces have traditionally concentrated on defending the island from a Chinese attack. But President Tsai Ing-wen has stressed the importance of developing an "asymmetrical" deterrent, using mobile equipment that is hard to find and destroy, and capable of hitting targets far from Taiwan's coast.

Washington, Taipei's main foreign arms supplier, has been eager to create a military counterbalance to Chinese forces, building on an effort known within the Pentagon as "Fortress Taiwan".

(with inputs)