Taiwan suggests SARS was China warfare plot

Conspiracy theories are afoot as this week, after Taiwan's security chief accused China of starting the global SARS epidemic six years ago as part of a biological warfare campaign.

These are pretty serious allegations to come from Tsai Chao-ming, Director-General of Taiwan National Security Bureau, who apparently told a legislative committee on Monday that that sources in China suspected biological warfare, but that conclusive evidence had not yet surfaced.

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."

A conspiracy was "impossible," said legislator Shuai Hua-ming.

"With biological warfare, you need to get the definition straight," Shuai said. "Warfare needs a goal, an object. China had no clear goal. It wasn't an operative weapons system."

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.

This is serious stuff, especially with relations between China and Taiwan being particularly delicate at the moment. I wonder if there really could be any truth in it?