The Ministry of National Defense yesterday confirmed that it is to create a military technology research establishment next year, saying that it would be similar to the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Deputy Minister of National Defense Lee Hsi-ming (李喜明) first mentioned the program at the recent Taiwan-US Defense Industry Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Yu Yu-tang (游玉堂), head of the Technology Planning Division of the ministry’s Department of Resources Planning, yesterday said that the division would be remodeled and upgraded to serve the national technology development role.
Photo: Tu Chu-min, Taipei Times
The division is to be remodeled as the National Defense Technology Division on Jan. 1 next year with a budget of NT$3 billion (US$94.9 million), and it is to be upgraded at some point to become the National Defense Technology Office, a special establishment at the departmental level, Yu said.
The division’s operations are to be modeled after DARPA, especially with regard to facilitating cooperation between the public and private sectors, eliminating duplication of effort and evaluating work at the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, Yu said.
“In contrast with the division’s current practice of having a military officer heading the unit, it is to have a civilian with a doctoral degree in charge after the rebranding, with a major general or rear admiral as its deputy head,” Yu said.
A total of 23 managers are to be recruited, with salaries competitive with those in the private sector, while employment guidelines are to be completed in the first half of next year and recruitment is to begin in about October next year, Yu said.
In response to questions comparing the proposed establishment with Taiwan Goal Co — a publicly funded arms firm that was dissolved in March 2008 — Yu said an official apparatus cannot be compared with a private arms company, adding that the operations of the planned agency would be subject to legislative oversight.
Taiwan Goal was dissolved by the Ministry of Economic Affairs two months following its launch after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers said it was inappropriate for the government to be involved in the arms trade.
According to information from the ministry, the National Defense Technology Development and Application Committee is to be upgraded and renamed as the National Defense Technology Development Committee.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS