Though the chances of Taiwan being able to buy AEGIS-class destroyers are slim, Washington has given Taiwan an oral agreement to the deal in an attempt to get better leverage in upcoming negotiations with China on the TMD issue, according to a senior defense official.
"It is quite unlikely that Taiwan will get the AEGIS ships anytime soon. Washington is now disclosing seemingly good news to Taiwan only for the sake of exerting pressure on China to give ground on the TMD issue," an official with the Ministry of National Defense told the Taipei Times.
"We are much more likely to get the Kidd-class destroyers. The deal is expected to be approved in this year's arms sales talks between Taiwan and the US. The AEGIS ships are a distant dream for us," the official said.
"Washington's proclaimed arms sales policy toward Taiwan is to maintain the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait. But our understanding is that the US will sell advanced weapons to Taiwan only if Taiwan has the capability to produce equivalent weapons," he said.
"There are many such examples in the past. There is no need to go into details. From this perspective, what the US will or will not sell to us becomes clear," he added.
TMD is a different issue, the official said, the US is very interested in inviting Taiwan to join in the development of the system, or buy the system after its deployment.
"TMD is intended by the US for deployment in the Asia-Pacific region to cover friendly countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
"But Japan does not show great interest in buying the system. They are only willing to join in the development phase of the project. They are not interested in buying the product," the official said.
"South Korea does not intend to buy the TMD system either. It makes Taiwan the only country in the region which is likely to share the large expense of TMD development," he said.
A retired US military leader, now visiting Taiwan, advised Taiwan not to put blind faith in the effectiveness of the missile shield to be provided by the TMD system, when he delivered a speech on Monday giving the prospects and problems of TMD in the area.
"Taiwan does not need to rush and make a decision on the issue. The TMD is very expensive and it can not provide total defense against ballistic missiles. Taiwan can consider joining in the program as the product becomes more mature.
The costs will become less by that time," said Retired Rear Admiral Eric McVadon in his speech.
Erich Shih (施孝瑋), a military analyst with the Defence Technology Monthly magazine, said in McVadon's view, the TMD is not the only choice for Taiwan. Shih had interviewed McVadon before and the interview was published in his magazine two years ago.
"McVadon does not seem to have changed in his view on the issue. He thinks Taiwan has many ways to build a missile defense. TMD is not the only way," Shih said.
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