Defense ministry spokesman Huang Suey-sheng said the military remained loyal to the government despite enjoying historically close links with the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) during their decades in office up to 2000.

"It is a consistent position of the military to maintain neutral and not to involve in politics," Huang told reporters.

"The military belongs to the country, rather than a certain political party or individual. This will remain unchanged no matter which party comes to power."

The ministry's statement came one day after the KMT-led opposition filed a libel lawsuit against President Chen, who said the opposition had plotted a coup after his victory in disputed elections on March 20.

"Some say the opposition's protests from March 21 through 27 was an aborted coup d'etat," Chen said, addressing a group of supporters in southern Taiwan.

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters have taken to the capital's streets to protest against what they say was an unfair election when Chen won by 0.22 percent, or some 30,000 votes, over his KMT rival Lien Chan.

The opposition argues that an election-eve shooting, which left Chen and his deputy Annette Lu slightly injured, mobilised a sympathy vote in Chen's favor.

The opposition has filed a lawsuit demanding a recount and nullification of the election.

The High Court has ruled that a comprehensive recount should begin on May 10 at the latest, in order to finish before Chen's scheduled inauguration on May 20.

WAR.WIRE