TAIPEI (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.
