Torpedo the dam?

Taiwan, China gear up for arms race, CNN, 18th June 2004

Reference was made to Taiwan's so-called "Scorpion Strategy" under which Taipei would lob missiles at not only big cities such as Shanghai but also major infrastructure such as the newly built Three Gorges Dam.

China told to use nukes if Taiwan hits dam, Straits Times, 19th June 2004

China should withdraw its undertaking on no first-use of nuclear weapons should Taiwan try to blow up the Three Gorges Dam, according to some parliamentary delegates.

The call was made by them - as well as some who sit on the country's top political advisory body - in the wake of a recent US Defense Department report which suggested that Taiwan could target the dam in a pre-emptive strike.

China general threatens war if Taiwan targets dam, Benjamin Kang Lim, Reuters, June 16th, 2004

Liu said no country had conventional warhead missiles capable of critically damaging the dam - made of concrete with a maximum thickness of more than 100 meters (328 feet).

I have to agree, the dam attack comment in the Pentagon report gives no details of how this attack would take place other than "Leaders have publicly cited the need for ballistic and land-attack cruise missiles" which seems to call for a nuclear attack and Taiwan does not currently have a nuclear weapons program.

Taiwan: Nuclear Nightmare Averted, David Albright & Corey Gay, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January/February 1998

-HJC