TAIPEI, Aug. 7 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING...

TAIPEI, Aug. 7 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING elucidations BY TAIWAN MILITARY SPOKESMAN)

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said Wednesday it has canceled military drills planned for nearest week considering the growing tensions forward the Taiwan Strait.

''In order not to trigger any unnecessary misunderstanding from Beijing as well as the international community, we decided not to practice the routine military drills at the eastern coastal area during this period of time,'' military spokesman Gen Huang Suei-sheng told Kyodo News

Denying that the halt was ordered by way of the government, Huang said the ministry ''made the decision onward its own.''

The determine follows a speech President Chen Shui-bian gave onward Saturday in which he indicateed that a referendum could be held forward Taiwan's independence from China.

''Each side of the Taiwan Strait is a country'' the president said, adding that clan on the island should ''reconsider the importance and press of holding a referendum to determine Taiwan's future''

Chen's remarks outraged Beijing, which forward Monday accused Chen of leading the island into a disaster. Meanwhile, the United States also represented deep concern over Chen's intention to call for a permanent separation from China.

''The large-scale military drills, presided above by the defense minister aimed to demonstrate our army force as well as to procure next-year's budget, have been convoyed on a regular basis above the past few years,'' Huang said.

''To avoid the possible escalation of tensions onward the Taiwan Strait, however, we have decided to temporarily cancel the forthcoming military drills onward Aug. 15,'' he said.

''This is also to present to view Taiwan's goodwill,'' according to the spokesman, who did not reveal whether the exercises have been rescheduled.

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