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No decapitation strike exercise: NSC

The National Security Council (NSC) yesterday attacked a report claiming that the scenario of this year’s military drill would be the government’s response to the assassination of president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

“The report has no basis on truth whatsoever,” the council said in a statement. “We regret that the magazine would write such a groundless report, which showed irresponsible political motives.”

The statement was in response to a report published in the latest issue of Next Magazine that went on sale yesterday.

The report said the annual drill would simulate a scenario in which Taiwan was facing social and political unrest following a decapitation attack launched by China targeting Ma and vice president-elect Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) prior to their inauguration on May 20. Beijing would then follow the attack by launching a military assault on Taiwan, the report said.

Ma spokesman Luo Chih-chiang (羅智強) declined to comment on the allegation, saying details of the drill should be explained by the Presidential Office.

The military exercise, codenamed Yushan, is scheduled to be held between this Monday and April 27.

The council said yesterday that the purpose of the drill was to “find potential problems” to serve as a reference to improve future drills.

This year’s scenario takes place in 2020, at a time when the People’s Liberation Army has deployed an aircraft carrier and stages a full-scale attack on the east coast, the council said, adding that the exercise would consist of three stages.

The first stage will be held from Monday until Wednesday at the political and military command center. Participants will not receive prior notice as to exactly when the exercise will begin.

The simulation will include crisis management following the president’s call for a national security meeting, an address to the nation on TV and radio and an emergency news conference by the premier.

The second stage, held on April 24 and April 25 and again without prior notice, will test security at critical infrastructure in five out of the 40 facilities in Taipei City, Taipei County and Ilan County. The exercise will include Internet safety, coordination between the military, law enforcement and the coast guard, fire protection, maintenance and recovery of key infrastructure.

The final stage, which will begin at 10pm on April 26 and end at 1pm the following day, will focus on crisis management, decision-making and planning, and communication between government agencies.

On April 8, Ma rejected President Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) invitation to attend a military exercise organized by the council next week.

Luo said Ma’s schedule was fully booked for the dates in question and that as such he would not be able to accompany the president. Luo declined to specify what events Ma was scheduled to attend.

It remains the government’s duty and obligation to hold the drill, regardless of Ma’s attendance or not, Luo said.

Asked to comment at a separate setting yesterday, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said she knew nothing about the contents of the exercise.

Lu said she had proposed during a high-level military meeting that the Yushan drill be rescheduled to accommodate Ma. She also asked Ma to reconsider Chen’s invitation to observe the military drill during their last meeting at the Taipei Guest House.

Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih
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