Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Saturday urged China to remove the missiles targeting Taiwan, saying Taiwan "cannot negotiate with Beijing under military threat."

In an interview with the US cable TV channel CNN, Ma called the resumption of dialogue and launch of weekend charter flights a historic move and a clear message to the world that Taiwan wants to pursue peace with China.

However, in developing ties with China, there is also the issue of Taiwan's "international space" and security, Ma told Anjali Rao, host of CNN's TalkAsia programme.

"International space" is the term Taiwan uses to describe membership in international organizations and participating in world events. China sees Taiwan as its breakaway province and bars Taiwan from joining the United Nations and UN-related organizations.

Ma said China must address the issue of Taiwan's meaningful participation in the World Health Organization, and must remove the missiles deployed in recent years on China's Fujian coast facing Taiwan.

"There are more than 1,000 missiles targeting Taiwan. We cannot negotiate with China under military threat," Ma said.

Taiwan split from China in 1949 after the Republic of China government lost the Chinese civil war and fled to Taiwan to set up a government-in-exile.

Taipei-Beijing ties remained icy until 1987 when Taiwan allowed person-to-person contacts and indirect trade between the two sides.

After Ma from the China-friendly KMT party became president on May 20, he vowed to improve ties with China by opening trade and air links with China.

Ma's policy of rapprochement however has drawn fire from Taiwan's opposition party DPP, which warns that China will never give up its goal of recovering Taiwan and Ma's over-friendly policy towards China will be dangerous for Taiwan's security. (dpa)