ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 11, 1996 TAG: 9603110117
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: SANTIAGO, CHILE
SOURCE: BOB DEANS COX NEWS SERVICE
note: above
U.S. warships are ``right on the edge'' of waters where China has been test- firing missiles near the coast of Taiwan, and two additional American naval vessels began steaming toward the area Sunday, Secretary of Defense William Perry said.
Perry said he was beefing up the American sea patrols near Taiwan to counter rising tensions stemming from Chinese exercises he called ``recklessly close'' to Taiwan.
Perry said there were no indications the United States and China were lurching toward armed conflict over the issue, but he stressed that the show of sea power is meant to underscore U.S. interests in the Pacific and to show that ``we maintain very strong forces in that area.'' The move also appeared to sharpen the teeth of earlier administration warnings to the Chinese regarding the missile tests.
U.S. diplomats have told their Chinese counterparts in Beijing and Washington that there would be unspecified consequences should the missiles hit Taiwan or vessels traveling the waters near Taiwan.
Saturday, Chinese officials announced additional live-fire exercises to complement the ongoing missile tests in target areas as close as 21 miles off the coast of Taiwan.
``This activity that they [Chinese] are involved in does raise the tension in the area, and we just feel that it's prudent and cautious to have a carrier task force nearby,'' Perry told reporters traveling with him Sunday from Panama to Chile.
The U.S.S. Independence, an aircraft carrier, and at least two other warships that are part of the Independence carrier group, have been plying the waters near Taiwan in recent days.
When China fired three scud-type surface-to-surface missiles into target areas near Taiwan on Friday, the U.S.S. Bunker Hill, a guided missile cruiser with sophisticated electronic monitoring gear, was ``right on the edge'' of one of the target areas tracking the tests, Perry said.
Saturday - the day China said it would hold additional live-firing exercises in the Taiwan Straits - Perry ordered two more ships - the U.S.S. Hewitt, a destroyer, and the McClusky, a guided missile frigate - to the waters near Taiwan. They were expected to join the Independence group early this week.
Perry ordered the additional ships after a Saturday breakfast meeting with Secretary of State Warren Christopher and White House National Security Adviser Anthony Lake. All five of the U.S. warships are part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, based at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan.
``We do not think that the Chinese are planning a military conflict with Taiwan, and so we are not preparing for armed conflict,'' Perry said, adding that stepping up the U.S. naval presence near Taiwan was a ``prudent'' response to the escalating tensions.
China said last week it would test-fire missiles in two areas - one about 20 miles north of Taiwan and another about 50 miles to the south - for a week. Friday, U.S. officials confirmed that the Chinese had fired three missiles into the target areas.
The White House has called the tests ``provocative'' and irresponsible, and a blatant attempt to intimidate Taiwan as it prepares for presidential and national legislative elections March 23.
LENGTH: Medium: 67 linesby CNB