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Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, in his first interview after taking on the chairmanship of the ruling Nationalist Party, again urged China to scrap missiles along the coast aimed at the island.

But in the year and a half since Mr. Ma took office, that number, instead of decreasing, has risen and is now believed to be close to 1,500. “The number continues to go up,” he told the Reuters news agency. “That is certainly a great concern for the people here.”

While Beijing has been willing to accommodate Taiwan in areas such as economic co-operation, slightly more international space and a diplomatic truce, it hasn't done much to reduce military pressure.

And while it continues to increase its military capabilities, it is putting pressure on the United States...