In a speech on Tuesday, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) urged the military to craft a strong response to incursions by Chinese drones and defend the nation’s airspace.
The military carried out the order by transferring drone jamming devices from Taipei to Kinmen and Lienchiang counties along with instructors, and giving authority to frontline personnel to open fire with the equipment they had.
At 5:59pm on Wednesday, Chinese consumer drones again entered the airspace of Kinmen County’s Erdan Islet (二膽) and were shot at by Republic of China military personnel with rifles.
Despite missing, the response prompted international approval of Taiwan’s determination to defend itself.
Moreover, the “little pink” nationalist Chinese who were behind the drones, seeking to undermine morale in Taiwan, did not know that the drone jamming devices had arrived at the front line and were being deployed.
When the army personnel on Kinmen’s Shi Islet (獅嶼) detected a drone attempting to enter the nation’s airspace on Thursday afternoon, they responded quickly, bringing it down with jamming devices and 19 rounds from T91 rifles.
The retaliation was completed within a day of receiving the jamming devices, showing that Taiwan is not a nation without military prowess, but one that is willing to take up arms.
Taiwan must continue its military upgrades, with four areas that need particular attention:
First, the government’s military acquisitions should keep pace with developments in military capabilities.
A few years ago, the arms procurement sector applied to purchase drone jamming equipment, but the request was not approved, leaving the army without suitable equipment. Authorities, especially in the army, must keep up with developments in warfare to prevent similar incidents.
Second, the military must train for combat. In past conflicts, soldiers in Kinmen and Lienchiang would open fire to drive Chinese away.
The drone incidents are a good opportunity to re-establish a defensive line and keep the “little pinks” at bay, especially as the Chinese side has used the drone incursions to belittle Taiwan’s armed forces.
Third, the government should consider appointing navy and air force personnel as minister of national defense, chief of the general staff and head of the Ministry of National Defense’s Operations and Planning Division.
The army has long been in charge of Taiwan’s defense and its personnel have filled those top roles, but the reaction to the drone incidents of Veterans Affairs Council Minister Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬), a former minister of defense, epitomized the army’s passive attitude. Perhaps now is the time for a change of blood.
Fourth, the drone incidents intensified national defense sentiments among the military and the public.
The government should channel that energy by promoting further discussion of military reform and the “all-out defense” concept.
Chu-Ke Feng-yun is a director of a hospital’s medical management department.
Translated by Rita Wang
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