Japan's concern over Taiwan in terms of security as a result of Beijing's enactment of its "Anti-Secession" Law has become increasingly explicit, Taiwan's representative to Japan said yesterday.
Koh Se-kai (
Fielding questions at the Legislative Yuan Foreign Affairs Committee, Koh said that the Japanese government has expressed its intention to "demonstrate grave concern" and "conduct a possible intervention" in the event of incidents that may undermine cross-strait peace.
Koh said Japan is not legally allowed to organize its own military forces without amending Article 9 of its Constitution. But if cross-strait conflict erupts after the Japanese Constitution is amended, it will positively demonstrate its serious concern toward such conflict, Koh added.
Should cross-strait conflict occur prior to a Japanese constitutional amendment, Koh said, Japan would only be able to lend support, such as logistical aid, to the US military -- in the event that the US came to Taiwan's rescue militarily if a cross-strait war erupted.
Discounting criticism by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Su Chi (
Koh promised to look further into Taiwan's trade deficit with Japan, which soared by 50 percent to reach US$56.83 billion last year, saying that he will see to it that certain measures are adjusted.
Despite the fact that he is pro-Taiwan independence and that the establishment of a "Republic of Taiwan" is his personal ideal, Koh said that as a government functionary, his priority is to fulfill his governmental obligations.
"I know what I'm doing," Koh said in response to People First Party Legislator Sun Ta-chian (孫大千). He added he agrees with Sun that the best common ground for Taiwan for the time being is maintaining the Republic of China and securing the cross-strait status quo.
Meanwhile, Koh said, Japan will continue to support Taiwan in its bid to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA) , the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, this year, marking the third consecutive year that Japan has openly thrown its support behind Taiwan in this regard.
The Japanese government has promised that "what has been achieved will not be degraded," Koh said, adding that his office will continue to push for Japanese officials to voice support for Taiwan at the WHA. In addition, he said, a number of Taiwanese health officials are scheduled to visit Japan in April to enhance Taiwan's WHA lobby.
Typhoon Champi is forecast to turn northward earlier than previously expected, sparing Taiwan a direct hit but still bringing heavy rain to the north of the country on Friday and Saturday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Typhoon Champi had strengthened and increased in size over the past 12 hours, and as of yesterday afternoon, was packing sustained winds of 198kph near its center, CWA forecaster Cheng Chieh-jen (鄭傑仁) said. However, due to the weakening of a Pacific high-pressure system the storm is now expected to turn northward earlier than initially forecast, likely around Japan’s Ishigaki Island, Cheng said. As Champi brushes
A sea warning for Typhoon Champi might be issued tonight, while the storm’s trajectory would determine whether a land warning is to be issued tomorrow night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Champi was about 1,536km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), packing maximum sustained winds of 198kph, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said. The storm was moving west-northwest at 23kph and was expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours before weakening slightly as it approaches cooler waters east of Taiwan, Tseng said. Champi is expected to turn north tomorrow, with the angle of the
DEFENSE PROCUREMENT: Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US if the contract is finalized, the Ministry of National Defense said The navy and the coast guard reportedly plan to acquire 292 units of MQ-35A V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) surveillance drones. If the contract is awarded and finalized, it would make Taiwan one of the largest buyers of the uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the US-based defense technology company Shield AI. The Coast Guard Administration budgeted NT$1.2 billion (US$37.1 million) to buy 12 drones, which have been delivered, Shield AI said in a report on Oct 13. The navy is planning to spend NT$36 billion under a four-year program code-named Project Yuan Hsiao (遠鴞) to acquire 280 V-BAT drones,
A patrol vessel donated by the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to the Philippines would not be used in waters near Taiwan or areas where Taiwanese fishing vessels operate, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. The vessel, formerly the CGA's 500-tonne-class Kinmen (金門), was commissioned into the Philippine Coast Guard on Oct. 2. Speaking at the Legislative Yuan, Cho said the Philippines had pledged during the donation process that the vessel would be used only for designated missions and would not operate in waters related to Taiwan. The vessel could even provide assistance to Taiwan if needed, he added. Responding to questions from Chinese
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