Citing concerns over severe breaches of national security, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) has strongly opposed the Ministry of Transportation and Communication’s (MOTC) approval of applications from Chinese ships to moor off the coast of Taiwan today to assist with the installation of offshore wind turbines.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said on Friday that she invited National Security Bureau Director-General Lee Hsiang-chou (李翔宙) and Minister of National Defense Yen Ming (嚴明) to explain how the installation could harm national security.
Lee was quoted by Kuan as saying that the Chinese lifting ship the Huadian 1001 must be towed into a dry dock in Taichung Harbor for closer inspection, adding that the ship must take the straightest possible route from Shanghai to Taichung Harbor to minimize risk to national security.
Yen was quoted by Kuan as saying that the ships “must not” be allowed access to “internal waters.”
In its dicussion with the bureau held later that afternoon, the defense ministry was adamant in its position that the Chinese ships “must not” be allowed access to “internal waters,” Kuan quoted MND Deputy Minister Kao Tien-chung (高天忠) as telling her, adding that information about tidal speeds, tidal direction, wave heights, tidal periods, water temperatures, seasalinity and density, and seabed materials could all be revealed.
As Fuhai Wind Farm Corp (福海風電公司) has applied to use Chinese ships to set up 30 platforms at different depths, Kao was quoted by Kuan as saying that Chinese ships would be able to return to China with complete and even three-dimensional hydrological information, adding that it was quite possible that the ships could also capture the routes of other vessels passing through the area.
Kao said the defense ministry strongly suggested that the MOTC deny the Huadian 1001 entry, adding that if the ship cannot be substituted, it would not be allowed to leave port before it is fully inspected by officials and after the results of the sweep were confirmed by officials from both the Maritime and Port Bureau and the defense ministry.
Kuan said that the Chinese towboat the Xigang No. 36, tasked with delivering the Huadian 1001, should be denied berthing rights in Taichung Harbor, adding that its presence could potentially allow it to record the sonar patterns of passing ships and establish a comprehensive record of ships using the harbor.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
Authorities have detained three former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TMSC, 台積電) employees on suspicion of compromising classified technology used in making 2-nanometer chips, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday. Prosecutors are holding a former TSMC engineer surnamed Chen (陳) and two recently sacked TSMC engineers, including one person surnamed Wu (吳) in detention with restricted communication, following an investigation launched on July 25, a statement said. The announcement came a day after Nikkei Asia reported on the technology theft in an exclusive story, saying TSMC had fired two workers for contravening data rules on advanced chipmaking technology. Two-nanometer wafers are the most
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
CHINA’s BULLYING: The former British prime minister said that he believes ‘Taiwan can and will’ protect its freedom and democracy, as its people are lovers of liberty Former British prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday said Western nations should have the courage to stand with and deepen their economic partnerships with Taiwan in the face of China’s intensified pressure. He made the remarks at the ninth Ketagalan Forum: 2025 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prospect Foundation in Taipei. Johnson, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, said he had seen Taiwan’s coastline on a screen on his indoor bicycle, but wanted to learn more about the nation, including its artificial intelligence (AI) development, the key technology of the 21st century. Calling himself an
RSS