A new presidential security vehicle is expected to be delivered in October, a senior National Security Bureau official said on Saturday.
The Audi A8 L Security Sedan comes with a VR9 armor package, meaning that it protects occupants from rifle bullets up to 7.62x51mm and hand grenades, the official said.
The car is fitted with an emergency breathing supply in case of airborne chemical or biological attack, a self-sealing gas tank and an automatic fire suppression system, the official said.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The protection offered by the new vehicle is an improvement on that of vehicles in the bureau-operated fleet, the official said, adding that it cost about NT$24 million (US$794,176).
The vehicle resembles other Audis in the presidential motorcade to enhance security and secrecy, the official said.
Some of the presidential motorcade vehicles are older and the manufacturer no longer recommends upgrades, while others have VR7 armor, which ofers protection against rifle fire, but not explosives, the official said.
In light of emerging threats, the bureau does not believe the fleet meets the Presidential Office’s security needs, the official said.
The new vehicle uses a combination of steel, ceramics and aramid fiber in its armor and is assembled using handmade parts at a secure facility, contributing to its cost, they said.
The vehicle was not bought using the presidential car budget, sparking controversy.
Security vehicle procurement plans would be improved to reflect lawmakers’ concerns and submitted one to two years before an order is placed, the official said.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Taiwan will now have four additional national holidays after the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment today, which also made Labor Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their majority in the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment to the Act on Implementing Memorial Days and State Holidays (紀念日及節日實施辦法), which the parties jointly proposed, in its third and final reading today. The legislature passed the bill to amend the act, which is currently enforced administratively, raising it to the legal level. The new legislation recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the
MORE NEEDED: Recall drives against legislators in Miaoli’s two districts and Hsinchu’s second district were still a few thousand signatures short of the second-stage threshold Campaigners aiming to recall Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators yesterday said they expect success in 30 out of 35 districts where drives have passed the second-stage threshold, which would mark a record number of recall votes held at once. Hsinchu County recall campaigners yesterday announced that they reached the second-stage threshold in the recall effort against Legislator Lin Szu-ming (林思銘). A total of 26,414 signatures have been gathered over the past two months, surpassing the 10 percent threshold of 23,287 in Hsinchu County’s second electoral district, chief campaigner Hsieh Ting-ting (謝婷婷) said. “Our target is to gather an additional 1,500 signatures to reach
RSS