Responding to comments by a top US military commander, Ministry of National Defense Spokesman Rear Admiral Liou Chih-chien (
"The procurement of eight diesel-powered submarines is aimed to deter China from a military attack on Taiwan, and also to boost protection of the countries' waterways," Liou told the Taipei Times yesterday. "The 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft are able to detect and attack submarines, but are unable to attack land targets. And it goes without saying that the three PAC-3 Patriot missile batteries are defensive weapons."
Liou said the Ministry would seek to swiftly communicate with the US Pacific Command to clarify the US commander's remarks.
"The Ministry of National Defense still does not know if Admiral William Fallon's remarks represent his personal stance or that of the US Department of Defense," Liou said. "However, the ministry believes Washington has not changed its policy, by which it agreed to sell the three weapons systems to Taiwan in 2001."
Earlier this month, Defense Minister Lee Jye (
Those remarks came in response to a query from a legislator about an opinion piece by Hawaii-based writer Richard Halloran, which said that the US Pacific Command has "quietly encouraged Taiwan to strengthen its defenses ... [and] forego high-tech weapons that could be employed in offensive operations."
Lee said that with the arms procurement bill still in limbo and the possibility of cross-strait unification in the future, some Americans may be concerned that advanced military technology could fall into China's hands if Taiwan were to procure high-tech weaponry from the US now.
Taiwan yesterday denied Chinese allegations that its military was behind a cyberattack on a technology company in Guangzhou, after city authorities issued warrants for 20 suspects. The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau earlier yesterday issued warrants for 20 people it identified as members of the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM). The bureau alleged they were behind a May 20 cyberattack targeting the backend system of a self-service facility at the company. “ICEFCOM, under Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, directed the illegal attack,” the warrant says. The bureau placed a bounty of 10,000 yuan (US$1,392) on each of the 20 people named in
The High Court yesterday found a New Taipei City woman guilty of charges related to helping Beijing secure surrender agreements from military service members. Lee Huei-hsin (李慧馨) was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for breaching the National Security Act (國家安全法), making illegal compacts with government employees and bribery, the court said. The verdict is final. Lee, the manager of a temple in the city’s Lujhou District (蘆洲), was accused of arranging for eight service members to make surrender pledges to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in exchange for money, the court said. The pledges, which required them to provide identification
Nine retired generals from Taiwan, Japan and the US have been invited to participate in a tabletop exercise hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation tomorrow and Wednesday that simulates a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2030, the foundation said yesterday. The five retired Taiwanese generals would include retired admiral Lee Hsi-min (李喜明), joined by retired US Navy admiral Michael Mullen and former chief of staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces general Shigeru Iwasaki, it said. The simulation aims to offer strategic insights into regional security and peace in the Taiwan Strait, it added. Foundation chair Huang Huang-hsiung
’DISTORTION’: Beijing’s assertion that the US agreed with its position on Taiwan is a recurring tactic it uses to falsely reinforce its sovereignty claims, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said Chinese state media deliberately distorted Taiwan’s sovereign status, following reports that US President Donald Trump agreed to uphold the “one China” policy in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). During the more than one-hour-long call, Xi urged Trump to retreat from trade measures that roiled the global economy and cautioned him against threatening steps on Taiwan, a Chinese government summary of the call said. China’s official Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying that the US should handle the Taiwan issue cautiously and avoid the two countries being drawn into dangerous
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