ABC News Australia: Military back on standby --large troop movements reported

The military in Taiwan has been ordered back onto a state of "heightened alertness", as reports filter in from China of large troop movements.

The turnaround comes less than 24 hours after the status was lifted.

It had been in effect during the weekend's presidential election, which was staged under war threats from China.

A Hong Kong newspaper is reporting that the Chinese Defence Minister has arrived in the south-eastern coastal province of Fujian, facing Taiwan, to inspect a mass assembly of armed forces.

The independent Chinese-language Apple Daily, citing unnamed sources, says patients are being moved from military hospital beds and has described the army assembly as the largest since the 1960s Cultural Revolution.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newslink/nat/newsnat-21mar2000-57.htm

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), March 21, 2000