Taiwan army troops standby on tanks after an inspection by President Lee Teng-hui on the offshore Penghu Island May 18. President Lee said he was impressed by the combat readiness of the recently reorganised squadron, composed of elite soldiers and advanced weapons. The inspection marked the end of a series of smaller-scale exercises staged by the army between April and May to test Taiwan's war readiness against any attacks from mainland China, which maintains a threat of force to bring Taiwan under its rule.

LC/TAN