1 person mistakenly killed after Taiwan fires supersonic missile

A Taiwanese warship on July 1 “mistakenly” fired a supersonic “anti-ship missile” towards China as it celebrated the 95th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party (CPC) amid assertions by President Xi Jinping that ruled out independence for Taiwan.

A Taiwan navy Kidd-class destoryer launches a SM-2 surface to air missile during a lifefire drill at sea near the east coast of Taiwan on September 26, 2013.

Built during the 1990s, the Ching Chiang vessels have recently undergone upgrades of its anti-ship missile batteries from the HF-2 with a 165-kilometer range to the rocket/ramjet powered HF-3 with a 300-kilometer range.

But the Navy has reported related information to the National Security Council and other higher-up government agencies to deal with follow-up responses, he said. The incident comes at an awkward time with cross-strait relations deteriorating sharply after new Democratic Progressive Party president Tsai Ing-wen angered Beijing with her government’s refusal to recognise the “one-China” concept.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said it had not detected irregular movements by China’s military after the accident.

“We are investigating the case”, said Vice-Admiral Mei Chia-hsu at a press conference earlier today. Beijing last week said it had suspended official communications with Taipei. “We need Taiwan to take responsibility and explain how this could have happened”, he was quoted by Taiwanese media as saying. Fired from a 500-ton missile ship docked at Tsoying, a naval base, at around 8:10 a.m., the missile flew toward China which would likely spark speculations it could have something to do with the diplomatic impasse between China and Taiwan.

Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) instructed deputy chiefs of general staff to head to an emergency center to deal with follow-up issues immediately after the incident occurred, it added.

Beijing has always insisted that Taiwan is still an integral part of China, expressing readiness to bring the territory back under its rule by diplomacy or force, if necessary. A launch requires at least three procedures to fire a missile, including a key to switch the trigger.