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Updated Thursday, September 20, 2007 0:00 am TWN, CNA

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Weapons debut at National Day military rehearsal

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A variety of weapons made their debuts yesterday at a rehearsal staged by the armed forces at an army base in Hukou in the northern county of Hsinchu.

Approximately 1,500 troops and 70 aircraft took part in the 30-minute rehearsal, which was presided over by Defense Minister Lee Tien-yu. The rehearsal, organized by the Ministry of National Defense (MND), ended with a parachuting performance.

The rehearsal was held for a military display slated to take place in front of the Presidential Office Oct. 10, the country’s National Day.

It will be the first military display held since the last one in 1991, according to MND officials.

The weapons on display include two eight-wheel-drive CM-32 Clouded Leopard vehicles, an Avenger air defense missile system armed with Stinger missiles and a 50-caliber machine gun, as well as armored Humvees equipped with TOW anti-armor missiles.

However, the defense ministry did not showcase the supersonic Hsiung Feng-3 anti-ship missiles and the Hsiung Feng-2E cruise missiles at the rehearsal as widely speculated.

The ministry declined to comment on whether the missiles will be a part of the National Day military display, citing confidentiality concerns.

According to the ministry’s plan, three additional rehearsals will take place in front of the Presidential Office Oct. 3, 6, and 9, respectively.

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