Although China has staged a large number of military exercises since July last year, just one simulated an attack on Taiwan, the Ministry of National Defense said in its latest biennial report released Tuesday.
The report said a joint-force landing exercise in September last year that involved troops from the Nanjing and Guangzhou military regions appeared to be directed toward Taiwan.
The report noted that the exercise followed closely then-president Lee Teng-hui's (
The total number of exercises held by China's military between 1998 and this year dropped from the previous two-year period, the report said.
Chinese and English versions of the biennial national defense report went on sale on Tuesday.
While the report in many ways was similar to the 1998 edition, the latest review of the nation's defense highlights new policy priorities and administrative structural adjustments that have taken place during the past two years.
Examples include the establishment of a combined military-civilian defense mechanism and new policy priorities spearheaded by former Minister of National Defense Tang Fei (唐飛), who is now the nation's premier.
Mention of President Chen Shui-bian's (
China has carried out a number of military exercises in the area of the Taiwan Strait in recent months, including missile tests and naval maneuvers.
The Taiwan government was especially cautious of Chinese military exercises around the March 18 presidential election and the May 18 innauguration. China had signalled that it would possibly carry out maneuvers around those dates.
Chinese threats of missile tests and military maneuvers have led to crashes in Taiwan's stock market on several occasions.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from