Vice Minister of National Defense Chang Liang-jen (張良任) told lawmakers yesterday that the number of high-ranking officers would likely drop when the military completes its restructuring plan.
“The appropriate number of high-ranking officers will be decided after the military restructuring,” Chang told the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee.
He was responding to a comment by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who told a Presidential Office dinner party on Wednesday that there were too many generals.
Chang told lawmakers that the ministry began plans to cut its ranks last year but has not yet finalized a plan.
“It takes a remarkable academic background, remarkable field experience and a remarkable reputation for management for an officer to become a general. It is not an easy thing,” Chang said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) suggested the committee amend the National Defense Act (國防法) and the Organic Act of the Ministry of National Defense (國防部組織法).
“We need real generals who have been through strict screening mechanisms and those who have survived and won in the battlefield,” Tsai said.
“We do not need as many 'stars' as we have now,” Tsai said.
Chang, meanwhile, said that the military would continue to be vigilant in monitoring the activities of the Chinese military, even though the Chinese Army recently decided to cancel a regular large-scale exercise in the “Nanjing Military Region.”
The drill usually simulates an attack on Taiwan.
“It is not right to say that the Chinese military has given up its designs on Taiwan just because this exercise was canceled. I certainly would not presume that,” he said. “We remain on high alert as normal.”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS