Taiwan is testing a new type of missile that could be used for precision strikes against important military facilities on the coast of mainland China, according to a media report.

The “Wan Chien 2” – meaning ten thousand swords – air-to-ground cruise missile was developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, and has a maximum range of 400 kilometers (248.5 miles), according to a report in Taiwan’s Liberty Times.

Taiwan could start production of a small batch of the new missiles once its testing is completed, a military source told the newspaper.

The Wan Chien 2 is an upgraded version of the Wan Chien 1 missile, which has a maximum range of only 200 kilometers. The Wan Chien 1 has already been deployed on Taiwan’s fighter jets.

The Wan Chien 1 was first put on display in September last year as Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen inspected the air force on the outlying islands of Penghu. It was shown to the press again in January this year in order to demonstrate Taiwan’s willingness to defend its territory, a source told the newspaper.

If launched from the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the Wan Chien 1 missile can hit airports and military facilities in China’s Fujian and Guangdong provinces.

Mainland Chinese fighter jets have been testing Taiwan’s defense capabilities recently, entering Taiwan’s southwestern air-space zone on 15 out of the first 19 days of March. The Taiwanese side has broadcast warnings 27 times, telling the Chinese jets to leave the island’s air space, according to a Facebook site recording the cases.

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