China considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification and two years ago passed an anti-secession law authorising the use of military force against the island if it moved towards independence.

"China... openly rationalised and legalised violent and non-peaceful means (in dealing with Taiwan) ... and this shows that China's military buildup and bullying dictatorship pose the greatest threat to all democratic societies in the Asia Pacific," Chen said.

"Until Beijing improves human rights (protection) and renounces military threats against Taiwan, all countries including the EU should retain their arms embargo on China," he told John Hamre, president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former US deputy defence secretary.

Washington remains Taiwan's main arms supplier and has pledged to protect the island despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

"Taiwan, the United States and China should jointly maintain peace, security and stability in the Taiwan Strait," Chen said without elaborating.

He said Taiwan lived under the daily threat of China's military buildup.

"In 2000 when I was first sworn in, China deployed about 200 ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan, but today the number of missiles has reached 988... Taiwanese people live in the threat of China's missiles everyday," he said.

Tensions between Taiwan and China have escalated since the independence-leaning Chen was elected president in 2000. He was narrowly re-elected in 2004.

Chen pledged in his inaugural speech in 2000 that he would not declare independence nor change Taiwan's name or seek a referendum on independence.

Nevertheless, he has called for Taiwan to overhaul its constitution, which was enacted by the then ruling Kuomintang government in China in 1947 and has gone through seven amendments here since 1991.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil war after KMT troops were defeated by communist forces and fled to the island.

earlier related report
Taiwan shows force amid tensions with China
Kuijen Airbase, Taiwan (AFP) March 8 - Taiwan on Thursday showed off its special airborne force amid escalating cross-strait tensions stoked by the independence-leaning President Chen Shui-bian's recent provocative remarks.

A team of paratroopers displayed their skills by jumping from a US-made CH-47SD transport helicopter about 1,200 metres (4,000 feet) above the southern Tainan county.

"The elite unit is capable of quickly striking the enemy in missions," lieutenant general Wang Kuo-chiang, commander of the army's airborne special force command, told reporters witnessing the drill.

During the exercise another group of camouflaged soldiers armed with assault rifles and submachine guns, released from helicopters, stormed a building in a scenario simulating the kidnapping of a government leader by terrorists.

US-made AH-1W Supercobra attack helicopters and OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scout helicopters were also mobilised.

The force is seen as a key unit to counter rival China's special operation force, whose continued build-up has alarmed Taiwan, defence ministry spokesman major general Wu Chi-fang said.

The show of force came as tensions across the Taiwan Strait rose after Chen pledged to push for independence and a new constitution earlier this week.

Chen told the overseas pro-independence group Formosan Association for Public Affairs Sunday: "I want to say this again, 'four wants, one no.' That is, Taiwan wants independence, Taiwan wants to change its name, Taiwan wants a new constitution, Taiwan wants development.

"There is no such problem as left and right in the path of development but there is only the problem of independence and reunification," Chen said.

Chen's comments appeared to mark a shift in policy and raised concerns in Beijing. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

And in another development the National People's Congress in Beijing announced Sunday that China's defence budget would soar by a massive 17.8 percent in 2007.

Su Shuyan, a Chinese military representative in parliament, told reporters at the opening of the annual session of the Congress: "We absolutely won't allow Taiwan to break away from China.... If Chen follows up his words with action, the People's Liberation Army can't just ignore it."

A local newspaper reported earlier this week that the Taiwanese military had test-fired a cruise missile capable of hitting Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Washington called Chen's latest pledge to push for independence "unhelpful" and reiterated its stance against independence for the island.

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