China considers “separatist forces” in Taiwan an impediment to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and has cited it as a pretext to build up its military strength, with the goal of being capable of launching a large-scale attack against the nation by 2020, according to a Ministry of National Defense report.
Minister of National Defense Yen Ming (嚴明) is scheduled to attend a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense committee today to present his policy report, which was released yesterday.
To safeguard its core interests, China has devoted considerable effort to modernizing its military, developing advanced weapons and deploying its armed forces to enhance its warfare capabilities, Yen said in the report.
Yen said that China would continue to develop a deep-sea navy centered on a fleet of aircraft carriers, and new types of medium and long-range missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles to hone its capability to launch long-range air strikes and nuclear counterattacks, anti-access and deterrence operations to prevent the intervention of external forces in a cross-strait conflict.
Because China has never forsaken the use of military force against Taiwan, the main objective of the nation’s armed forces is to train high-quality and professional military personnel who can meet the need for a prompt response. In annual exercises conducted by the army, navy and air force, the military will conduct confrontational drills to enhance joint operational capabilities, Yen said.
The ministry did not rule out that there could be sporadic conflicts involving claimants in the South China Sea and East China Sea if the claimants retain their positions and China continues to increase its maritime assertiveness, Yen said in the report.
Yen said that the military has earmarked budgets for a series of projects, including purchasing Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, improving the capabilities of the Indigenous Defense Fighters and upgrading its F-16A/B aircraft and its land-based air defense missile systems.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
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