At the conclusion of the first ever large-scale coast guard exercises off the Taiwan coast at Tamsui, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) warned of the challenges direct links would bring to the agency.
After watching the 40-minute exercise, the premier expressed his great confidence in the coast guard's ability and determination to safeguard Taiwan's coastline.
"One of the conclusions reached at the recently-concluded Economic Development Advisory Conference is that the government is to actively open trade between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," Chang said.
"With in opening of direct trade," he warned, "problems will occur as to the sea traffic in the strait, and the coast guard must be prepared to deal with these problems. Early-warning coastal-defense systems will have to be improved and we must acquire a unified land, sea and air response capability."
Presently, the coast guard lacks an air division, so helicopters from the police were borrowed for yesterday's exercise.
Coast guard Deputy Director Yu Chien-tzu (游乾賜) said that by December, the coast guard's first helicopters would be put in service.
"Because of budgetary constraints, we are going to lease helicopters from civil aviation companies. We expect the helicopters to have both day and night capabilities," Yu told the Taipei Times. Yesterday's exercise, code-named "Maritime Safety No. 1," featured salvage, environmental protection, as well as coastal and onshore patrol capabilities against smuggling attempts.
The coast guard mobilized over 460 personnel, two helicopters and 25 ships for the exercise. The state-run Chinese Petroleum Corp sent an oil skimmer to assist in the exercise.
The coast guard now lacks special vessels such as oil skimmers for environmental protection missions.
Besides the oil skimmer shortage, the coast guard also lacks vessels for salvage missions.
The coast guard was not hesitant in making public its shortage of vessels.
To add capability in maritime salvage, the coast guard said it had plans to buy six self-righting vessels and one multi-function ship with both fire fighting and towing capabilities.
None of the 108 ships in service with the coast guard are suitable for maritime salvage missions, the coast guard said.
The agency also said that while it lacks sufficient personnel for such missions, that situation is improving.
The coast guard has sent 40 people to train in the navy's fleet salvage unit. These personnel are learning under-water electric welding and cutting.
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