Taiwan’s military strength ranks 15th in the world and ninth in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of conventional war-making capability across land, sea and air, according to a survey conducted by military Web site Global Firepower.
The nation’s ranking has fluctuated between 14th and 18th since 2009, peaking at 14th in 2011 and 2012 and last year standing at 17th, according to the Web site.
A total of 126 nations make up the list this year, with the US at the top followed by Russia and China.
Taiwan outranks Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore in the Asia-Pacific region, while falling behind China, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Indonesia and Australia, the survey shows.
“With an eye on independence still, the island nation of Taiwan must retain a large, modern fighting force and powerful allies for its own security,” the Web site says.
In terms of available manpower, Taiwan’s 290,000 active front-line personnel are ranked 20th globally. China tops the category with 2.33 million active military personnel, followed by the US with 1.4 million, Russia with 760,000 and North Korea with 690,000, according to the survey.
Taiwan ranks 14th in the land system category with 2,005 battle tanks. Russia heads the category with 15,000 tanks, followed by China with 9,100 tanks and the US with 8,800 tanks.
Taiwan’s 288 fighters and interceptors make it into the top 10 in air power, falling behind Japan by just one aircraft. The US tops the category with its 2,207 fighter aircraft, ahead of China with 1,066 fighters.
“The fifth generation fighter is currently embodied by the Lockheed F-22 Raptor, with competitors arising in both Russia and China, [while] fourth generation fighters remain a capable — and cost-effective — battlefield component,” the Web site says.
Taiwan is ranked 23rd in terms of naval power with 103 combat vessels. North Korea outnumbers all other competitors in the category with its 1,064 battleships. China has 673 vessels, while the US has 473, according to the survey. The listing includes battleforce ships made up of aircraft carriers, frigates, destroyers, corvettes and all auxiliary vessels.
In terms of submarines — a key development project in the nation’s defense industry — Taiwan is ranked 29th with its four submarines. The US tops the subcategory with 72 submarines, outnumbering North Korea by just two.
While nuclear capability is not taken into account, the ranking is based on a formula utilizing more than 50 different quantifiable factors, including values related to weaponry, number of service members, resources, logistical capabilities, finances and geography.
While most information is gathered via the CIA and data in the public domain, some statistics have been estimated where official numbers are not publicly available, the Web site says.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
RSS