MND says Admiral Blair will attend war exercises

A Ministry of National Defense (MND) official said that former commander-in-chief of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Dennis Blair, will arrive in Taipei tomorrow to watch the Han Kuang No. 21 computer wargames, which began yesterday and will run until Friday.

"He is slated to come to Hengshan Command to observe the exercise," said an MND official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Most members of the US military delegation led by Blair have been to Hengshan Command to work with our military," the official said.

MND Spokesman Rear Admiral Liu Chih-chien (劉志堅) yesterday announced that the Han Kuang No. 21 computer war games were taking place from yesterday through Friday.

According to a schedule of the computer war games released by the MND, Blair will observe the two most important parts of the computer exercise: a simulation of a Chinese missiles and air attack on Taiwan, and a simulation of a naval invasion and air attack in the Taiwan Strait.

Liu said the war games this year would continue to focus on joint operations, and will identify the military's shortcomings.

The results will have an impact on the military's arms procurement plans, he added.

Liu said the exercise would adopt a joint theater-level simulation system (JTLS) introduced by the US last year. The system uses computer images that resemble a live-fire drill.

The JTLS is also able to remotely link up to the nation's main military command, and therefore all personnel no longer need to gather at Hengshan Command during the exercise.

Chinese-language newspapers have said the system enables the Taiwanese military to link up with US Pacific Command in Hawaii. Since the US military in has also linked its systems with Japan's, the three countries' militaries will link up for the first time for a computer war-gaming exercise, the reports said.

Liu declined to comment on whether US Pacific Command would watch the exercise as it occurred or whether Japanese military personnel would be in Taipei to observe the computer simulation.

Liu said the results of the computer exercise will be made public at a press conference planned for next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a Chinese-language news Web site yesterday reported that National Security Council Secretary-General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) left for the US yesterday with two MND officials to attend an annual US-Taiwan military conference.

The two sides will discuss arms sales and China's increasing missile threat against Taiwan, the report said.

The annual US-Taiwan military conference has been held every April since 1998.

The US has invited high-ranking Taiwanese government officials and military personnel to attend the conference, despite protests from China.