President Chen Shui-bian (
"China recently has made an aggressive military expansion and shifted its defense focus from the coastlines to the nearby seas, moving its military force closer to the first island chain," Chen said. "This move has seriously affected the regional stability and our national security," he said.
Accompanied by Vice President Annette Lu, (
During a speech to the naval officers on the frigate Wuyi, one of three frigates in the fleet, Chen, as commander in chief of Taiwan's armed forces, also encouraged naval officers to strive to protect national security.
He said that foreign trade and shipping is essential for the country's survival as Taiwan is surrounded by the sea and that one of the country's military policies is to establish an "effective and defensive" navy.
"In the face of threats [from China], the Ministry of National Defense has drawn up a new plan. The navy is going to have a new look."
The friendship fleet, which also includes the Hsining and the Chengkung frigates, will allow 536 officers and sailors to receive three-and-a-half months of ocean-going training and combat skills training.
On Saturday, Chen attended a Chinese Naval Academy marching band performance at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. He encouraged members to increase interaction with civilians to gain their support for the nation's defense policy and military build-up plans.
Since 1967, the naval academy has sent a friendship fleet every year to let graduating cadets practice shipboard combat skills, tactics and navigation.
In that time, the fleet has sailed to a number of countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific rim.
This year, the friendship fleet will make port calls at Taiwan's six major sea ports between Feb. 10 and Feb. 22 before starting a three-month overseas voyage to Panama and 10 other diplomatic allies.
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