Mainland urges Taiwan to explain missile misfire

BEIJING -- Zhang Zhijun, the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, has urged Taiwan authorities to give a "responsible explanation" for its military's fatal missile misfire.

The island's authorities confirmed on Friday afternoon that the navy fired a missile in error on Friday morning and hit a Taiwan fishing boat in waters off the island, killing one and injuring three.

Authorities blamed the misfire on failure by personnel to follow procedures during a test.

"The incident occurred and caused severe impact at a time when the mainland has repeatedly emphasized safeguarding peaceful development of cross-Strait relations based on the political foundation of the 1992 Consensus," said Zhang, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, later on Friday.

Responding to media questions, Zhang said "the Taiwan side should offer a responsible explanation of the matter."