A small number of cruise missiles, the Hsiung Feng II-E (Brave Wind), will go into production this month, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister paper) reported yesterday.
"The Hsiung Feng II-E cruise missiles would be swiftly deployed on Taiwan's west coast. Cities in southeastern China and more than 20 of China's main military bases in southwestern China" would be within range of the missiles, the paper said.
It said the Hsiung Feng II-E missile would be able to be launched from land, sea or air. If the missiles were deployed on outlaying islands, Shanghai would be within range, it said.
Meanwhile, other Chinese-language newspapers reported yesterday the nation's first national security report will suggest the military adjust its strategy by buying and developing more offensive weapons to deter China's military threat against Taiwan, the newspapers said.
The report will say that given that the US is willing to consider selling Taiwan offensive weapons, the military should adjust its arms-procurement lists, the papers said. The report will say that the country will never develop nuclear, biochemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction.
A Chinese-language newspaper reported last month that the military had successfully tested a 1,000km-range cruise missile, the Hsiung Feng II-E.
The Liberty Times, however, said the military would initially produce 600km-range missiles because more work was needed on turbo-generators capable of powering longer-range missiles.
According to the paper, the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, which is in charge of missile-production programs, estimated it would produce advanced turbo-generator-equipped cruise missiles with a 1,000km-range by next year.
The paper said the military decided to quickly deploy the shorter-range missiles because of the increasing threat from China.
The paper said the new cruise missile still needs to have its guidance system enhanced. It said the US has yet to agree to sell a global positioning system (GPS) for military use to Taiwan. As a result, the new missiles would initially be equipped with a GPS system designed for businesses and with Russia's GLONESS positioning system to enhance their positioning capability, it said.
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
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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