During a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei last week, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) said that more than 70 percent of the 726 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) that government agencies use are made by Chinese companies, while the US and Japan have either prohibited or decommissioned China-made UAVs.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) promised that he would appoint Vice Premier Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) to deal with the UAV issue, adding that the Cabinet would look into the use of Chinese UAVs, and decide as soon as possible whether to ban or decommission them.
The technology has boomed in the past few years, creating drones controlled by portable computers or even smartphones that can fly nearly anywhere at any time. These advanced products exist in modern societies across the world.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is devoting a massive amount of resources to the research and development of drones. From a variety of civil drones for daily use to military UAVs capable of performing strike missions, Chinese-made products have become popular procurement objects in many countries.
Drones have diverse applications in economic development as well as in people’s daily lives. For example, apart from serving as recreational and entertainment tools, such devices can also be used for various educational, commercial and agricultural purposes — such as instruction, disaster relief, filmmaking, topographic and geomorphic research, and underground mine exploration.
However, if the software used in these drones is intentionally designed to be controlled by the CCP, they could be transformed into offensive weapons that could be used to attack other countries or as strategic weapons that could be used to steal confidential information from governments.
It is therefore surprising that more than 70 percent of the government’s drones are made by Chinese companies, and this figure is just the official number released by the Cabinet. The unreported number is likely much larger, and the figure is likely to rise as more Chinese UAVs are reported by government agencies.
Taiwan should not deal with this issue carelessly. Besides, according to media reports, the results of a study by the Telecom Technology Center show that some of the government-owned Chinese UAVs might pose an information security risk.
The issue has become a potential national security threat. The Cabinet should demand that all government agencies stop purchasing and using Chinese drones. President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration should promptly start treating the issue as a priority national security matter.
Yao Chung-yuan is a university professor and former deputy director of the Ministry of National Defense’s strategic planning department.
Translated Eddy Chang
Yesterday’s recall and referendum votes garnered mixed results for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). All seven of the KMT lawmakers up for a recall survived the vote, and by a convincing margin of, on average, 35 percent agreeing versus 65 percent disagreeing. However, the referendum sponsored by the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on restarting the operation of the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County failed. Despite three times more “yes” votes than “no,” voter turnout fell short of the threshold. The nation needs energy stability, especially with the complex international security situation and significant challenges regarding
Many foreigners, particularly Germans, are struck by the efficiency of Taiwan’s administration in routine matters. Driver’s licenses, household registrations and similar procedures are handled swiftly, often decided on the spot, and occasionally even accompanied by preferential treatment. However, this efficiency does not extend to all areas of government. Any foreigner with long-term residency in Taiwan — just like any Taiwanese — would have encountered the opposite: agencies, most notably the police, refusing to accept complaints and sending applicants away at the counter without consideration. This kind of behavior, although less common in other agencies, still occurs far too often. Two cases
Most countries are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with condemnations of militarism and imperialism, and commemoration of the global catastrophe wrought by the war. On the other hand, China is to hold a military parade. According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Beijing is conducting the military parade in Tiananmen Square on Sept. 3 to “mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.” However, during World War II, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had not yet been established. It
Much like the first round on July 26, Saturday’s second wave of recall elections — this time targeting seven Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers — also failed. With all 31 KMT legislators who faced recall this summer secure in their posts, the mass recall campaign has come to an end. The outcome was unsurprising. Last month’s across-the-board defeats had already dealt a heavy blow to the morale of recall advocates and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while bolstering the confidence of the KMT and its ally the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). It seemed a foregone conclusion that recalls would falter, as
RSS