Vice defense minister Lin Chung-pin and vice chief of the general staff Chu Kai-sheng are scheduled to leave for Washington Friday, leading a high-profile military mission for comprehensive talks on arms deals, Taiwan's security and bilateral cooperation, the United Daily News said.

The two-week visit would be the largest in scope in Taiwan-US military talks, it added.

A computer war game would be jointly held in Hawaii December 15-17 when the delegates visit the US Pacific Command, the paper said.

The announcement came as tensions between Taipei and Beijing continued to build following president Chen Shui-bian's weekend decision to hold a sovereignty referendum.

The move is expected to further flare military threats from Beijing, which considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

Lin told parliament the engagements would cover "routine military exchanges under the framework of Taiwan Relations Act".

He declined to give details of the visit, citing national interests as stipulated in the act, which governs bilateral issues with the US in the absence of diplomatic ties.

"Even if there is a computer war game, it will be routine and planned a long time ago," Lin said.

The paper said the war simulation was prompted by the need for the US to update its military contingency plans given escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Washington has observed the One-China policy -- that there is only one China and Taiwan is part of the Chinese territory -- since it switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

But it has remained the island's leading arms supplier.

Chen made the pledge as Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, in a visit to Germany, warned Taiwan against holding a referendum on independence and that China had the means to defend its sovereignty.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil war. Although the island has since been governed separately, Beijing has repeatedly threatened war against the island should its leaders try to push for formal independence.

The "sovereignty referendum" was proposed after Taiwan's parliament passed Thursday a bill allowing referendums on constitutional amendments but set hurdles on sensitive issues such as independence and changes to the country's official name, flag and territory.

Chen based the rationale for the sovereignty referendum on a clause that empowers the president to initiate a public vote once the country's sovereignty is threatened by a foreign force.

The US says it does not support independence nor the resort to force to settle cross-strait disputes.

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