In light of the threat posed by China, former minister of national defense Michael Tsai (蔡明憲) yesterday called for an increase in military spending from 2 percent to 3 percent of GDP and an overhaul of the plan to transition the military into all voluntary force.
Taiwan should increase military spending and develop its defense industries in response to increased Chinese military activities around Taiwan, Tsai said during a defense and aviation forum in Taichung that was also attended by Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) chairman Anson Liao (廖榮鑫), Taichung Deputy Mayor Chang Kuang-yao (張光瑤) and Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers.
China’s annual military spending has been growing by 8.5 percent annually, and is 14 times higher than Taiwan’s, so the Ministry of National Defense needs to increase its spending from 2 percent of GDP to 3 percent, Tsai said.
Taiwan also needs to develop its own aircraft, vessels and defensive weapons to ensure defensive self-sufficiency, he said.
He also urged the US and Japan to build a peace maintenance mechanism with Taiwan to defend the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and the East China Sea, following the increase in passages of Chinese military aircraft and an aircraft carrier group around Taiwan.
“The mechanism is more important than arms sales to Taiwan. Taiwan has bought armaments and weapons from the US and France over the past 20 years, but it is hardly possible that US would approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Taiwan. In light of this, it is more important to develop the peace maintenance mechanism,” Tsai said.
He also called for the meaningful implementation of the US National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, which requires the US secretary of defense to submit to the US Congress an assessment on naval port of call exchanges between Taiwan and the US.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should consider reinstating conscription to ensure the supply of soldiers and public readiness against Chinese threat, he said.
Speaking at the forum, Liao reaffirmed AIDC’s goal to develop locally made jet trainers as part of the government’s aim to build a national defense industry.
The company is scheduled to begin assembling the first “Blue Magpie” prototype on June 1, he said.
Completion of the Blue Magpie would make Taiwan one of the only four nations capable of manufacturing jet trainers besides the US, Italy and South Korea, he said.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS