The US has agreed to "conditionally" share its military satellite data with Taiwan, it was reported yesterday.
Once linked to the US satellite system codenamed "Defense Support Project" (DSP), Taiwan would be able to allow up to seven more minutes in advance while its Patriot anti-missile weaponry prepared to intercept any incoming missiles, a local Chinese-language newspaper said.
It said the Taiwan military plans to set up ground stations over the next five years to plug Taiwan Patriot systems to the US military satellite system.
The Taiwan defense ministry was tight-lipped on the reported military cooperative project, a move Beijing may interpret as a further step towards a military alliance between the US and Taiwan which it regards as part of its territory.
But Minister of National Defense Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) told the legislature yesterday "it would be his pleasure to see the development," without providing details.
Washington is Taiwan's leading arms supplier.
In July, the Pentagon made public a report in which the US questioned China's commitment to a peaceful resolution of its differences with Taiwan.
The report broke new ground by emphasizing that China was exploring strategies that would use missile strikes, blockades and even cyberwarfare, rather than a D-Day-style invasion, to bring Taiwan to heel.
It said the People's Liberation Army has deployed 350 ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan, with the number expected to increase at a rate of 50 a year.
Last year, US President George W. Bush caused a furor in China by saying that the US would do whatever it takes to defend Taiwan.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
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