President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday he would not rule out holding peace talks with China, but stressed that Taiwan must boost its defenses in any event.
Ma made the statement after supervising a military drill in Pingtung County, the first war game he has presided over since taking office on May 20.
A total of 1,686 troops took part in the live-fire drill, which simulated Taiwanese troops repelling enemy attempts to make an amphibious landing.
PHOTO: PATRICK LIN, TAIPEI TIMES
Dozens of F-16 fighter jets, OH-58D helicopters and AH-1W attack helicopters took part in the drill.
“Holding this drill shows that, despite improving cross-strait ties, our combat readiness has not slackened,” Ma said. “We are against war, but are not afraid of war. We prepare for war, but will not start a war. In future, we do not rule out holding peace talks with China. However, Taiwan will not hold peace talks because of fear, but from a position of strength.”
The military hold war games at least once a year to prepare for a Chinese attack.
Last week, Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) confirmed that the military had decided to stage its major war game — the Han Kuang Exercises — every two years instead of annually. He said the time between Han Kuang Exercises was too short, making it difficult for the military to have adequate time to correct and adjust the shortcomings of the previous drill.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese