Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Taiwan suggests SARS was China warfare plot
07 Oct 2008 04:46:35 GMT
 Source: Reuters
TAIPEI, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Taiwan legislators wearing surgical masks and displaying banners with skull and crossbones took over parliament's floor on Tuesday after the country's security chief accused China of starting the global SARS epidemic six years ago as part of a biological warfare campaign.

Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Chao-ming told a legislative committee on Monday that sources in China suspected biological warfare, but that conclusive evidence had not surfaced.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome originated in southern China in 2002 and went on to kill hundreds of people around the world -- including about 350 in China -- bringing Asian tourism and air industries almost to a halt.

An initial cover-up of the epidemic led to the sacking of Beijing's mayor and the health minister and led to scores of conspiracy theories about the origin of the virus.

"In the 2003 SARS period, there were deaths and injuries, and in addition China hid the patient count, causing panic in people's hearts," the security bureau said in a statement.

"At that time insider information indicated that SARS was a biological weapon."

Tsai told the committee that SARS had "become a biological warfare formula" in China and that the bureau would "continue to monitor the situation", local media said on Tuesday, splashing the story across TV screens and front pages.

China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the island back under mainland rule, by force if necessary.

Some legislators were unsure why the security bureau brought SARS up at such a crucial time in cross-strait relations, which have improved under the presidency of Ma Ying-jeou.

"The comment about biological warfare from China brings SARS back as a hot topic," the United Daily News said. "It raises questions about whether President Ma Ying-jeou's government can build citizen trust in its administrative ability."

Conspiracy theories about SARS have appeared before. After two Russian scientists said that SARS could have been manufactured in labs, Chinese activists pointed to the United States, saying Washington might be using it against China. (Reporting by Ralph Jennings; Editing by Nick Macfie and David Fox)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  AmeriCares Sends Airlift of Medical Relief to Hurricane-Stricken Haiti
AmeriCares

•  CWS Emergency appeal update: 2008 U.S. hurricanes
CWS

•  In storm-hit Galveston, nearly every yard is caked in toxic sludge
CWS

•  The Women's Commission Applauds Attorney General Mukasey's Decision to Uphold the Rights of Women Who Suffer Female Genital Mutilation
Women's Commission - USA

•  Project to Save the Lives of Malnourished Children Voted Top 5 in American Express Members Project
IMC - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Taiwan suggests SARS was China warfare plot

•  South Korea dismisses North's nuclear 'ultimatum'

•  South Korea dismisses North's nuclear 'ultimatum'

•  U.S. candidates advisers debate approach on energy

•  Reuters Summit-'Hydrogen cities' seen driving fuel cell adoption

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Background information

Facts & figures
Taiwan China United States of America

Related articles

Breaking stories
 Taiwan suggests SARS was China warfare plot (1 minute ago)

South Korea dismisses North's nuclear 'ultimatum' (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
 BOOK REVIEW: Why our climate change solutions are a mirage (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
 AmeriCares Sends Airlift of Medical Relief to Hurricane-Stricken Haiti (1 minute ago)

Blogs
 Yes, people over 50 have sex too (1 minute ago)

Maps
 Tropical storm Higos (1 minute ago)


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-10-07T043440Z_01_PEK04_RTRIDSP_2_ENVIRONMENT-SUMMIT-CHINA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/PEK04.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-10-07T043134Z_01_PEK02_RTRIDSP_2_ENVIRONMENT-SUMMIT-CHINA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/PEK02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-10-06T165944Z_01_NUR03_RTRIDSP_2_QUAKE-KYRGYZSTAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/NUR03.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-10-06T165844Z_01_NUR02_RTRIDSP_2_QUAKE-KYRGYZSTAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/NUR02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-10-06T150453Z_01_NUR01_RTRIDSP_2_QUAKE-KYRGYZSTAN_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/NUR01.htm

People search for usable coal at a cinder dump site on a hazy day in Changzhi, Shanxi province October 7, 2008. Negotiations seeking a global pact to tackle global warming are ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Tue Oct 7 04:51:19 2008