Taipei Times: Is it true that the National Security Council consulting members disagree with the mobile management and more direct supervision projects initiated by Kang Ning-hsiang since he took the office?
Su Chin-chiang (
Since the DPP took power, the council has gone through four secretary-generals -- Chuang Ming-yao, (莊銘耀) Ting Yu-chou, (丁瑜洲) Chiou I-jen, (邱義仁) and Kang. In fact, Chuang, the first head after Chen took office, had already brought up the key points for the new council and undertaken system adjustments, but these three predecessors basically allowed those consulting members to develop their duties individually and that is different from Kang's style. It certainly needs time to get used to it.
Some have described the council as unfathomable, saying that its six consulting members have the privilege to talk to the president directly. Therefore, the media has speculated about the council, and some reports about the council are even groundless or made up.
Kang now plans to open the doors and take the initiative to communicating with the outside world, and that is why I have taken the post as the first spokesman for the council to brief the media in light of any national security events, policies and crises. Such a job is a part of the council's crisis-management system.
TT: The Legislative Yuan passed the NSC Organization Law (國安會組織法) in June that allows the council to expand its prescribed number of personnel by 25. How will this affect the role of the council?
Su: Many are surprised that the Legislative Yuan passed the law so fast. In fact, this is a result of Kang's long-term political relationship and influence. He personally lobbied different parties in the Legislative Yuan, including those from the PFP and KMT. I think we all understand that the president needs a complete and efficient back-up team.
The council did not have a specific role in the government during the Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and Chiang Ching-kou (蔣經國) era, when it was considered as a political reward for retired senior officials. The council members convened once a year and its responsibility was to discuss the budget. In the latter period of Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) 13 years tenure as the president, the government started to recruit talent. Now the environment has a more profound change, the responsibility of the council must transform from its individually heroic nature into a consolidated platform. In the past, the NSC was crisis management- and issue-oriented. Now Kang hopes that the council may increase its efficiency and offers the president a comprehensive and overall national security and strategy evaluation.
TT: Kang has brought up his idea of the "security community." Could you elaborate on his plan?
Su: After the council expands its organization, its responsibilities shall include three sectors: the evaluation of national security, overall national strategy and crisis management.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the definition of national security has gone beyond military, politics and diplomacy. Social, cultural and economic sectors are also the elements of national security.
The "National Security Community" was brought up by Kang and the council Deputy Secretary-General Antonio Chiang (江春男) based on the experience of other advanced countries, such as the US. It includes a regular exchange of staff between the Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That aims to change their relationship that each does things in his own way and to strengthen the communication among the government's national security system, the private think tanks and the media, so as to consolidate the consensus
By doing so, we can avoid mistrust and chaos so as to consolidate the pace of national security teamwork. Especially, each department doing its own business often makes it be defeated one by one by their rival in international occasions and important issues, such as cross-strait negotiations, APEC meetings and military procurements.
TT: Kang said that his only intention is to build the national security platform. Will it supercede the Executive Yuan?
Su: Kang wants to push a communication system among national security officials, scholars and media reporters and that will allow them to exchange their opinions on national security policies and issues so as to strengthen the pace and consensus of the national security teamwork. Chiang has had such a plan in mind for years but yet to be put into practice. Now, he hopes to build this important communication platform. The national security shall not be done individually.
In contrast, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Defense Ministry used to do their own business, so they often moved at different speeds while dealing with important issues, such as military procurements, and that gives its counterpart a chance to defeat them one by one.
For now, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense are regularly exchanging their staff with each sending two people to get familiar with each other's business. In the future, we hope the practice will expand to other national security departments.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
RSS