On guard against drones
Last month, the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency in South Korea launched an investigation into three Chinese students on charges of contravening the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act. This came after the students were arrested on June 25 for allegedly using a drone to take pictures of the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt while it was docked at the naval base in Busan. Similar incidents that have occurred in various countries show that we cannot overlook the national security threat posed by drones.
The suspects in the Busan incident claimed that they were only taking photographs of the US aircraft carrier and navy base out of curiosity. However, in such a highly sensitive area, this kind of behavior is sure to be seen as a potential threat. Whether people do it out of curiosity or for more complex motives, any such behavior will definitely have serious consequences. Especially in today’s context of heightened geopolitical tensions, any unauthorized act involving military installations might be viewed as potential espionage, which is a matter of international concern.
Such incidents are not confined to a single country. With the spread of drone technology, similar situations have become common around the world. One such incident occurred in the US in January, when a Chinese student used a drone to photograph US Navy vessels at several shipyards in Virginia.
As well as sparking heightened alarm in the US, this incident demonstrates the double-edged nature of drones in the military and security fields. While they can be used for legitimate commercial and recreational activities, they can also be used inappropriately, making them a potential threat. This leaves governments and militaries with no choice but to tighten control over drones to prevent sensitive information from leaking out.
These incidents serve as a reminder that technological advances pose ever-more complex challenges to national security. While drones are a popular consumer product, the potential threat that they pose needs to be taken more seriously. We must recognize that, in an open society, finding a balance between technological advancement and protecting national security will continue to be an important task.
These incidents of drone spy photography re-emphasize the double-edged effect of technological advances. While enjoying the convenience brought by technology, we must also remain vigilant against any security risks that it might pose. We must strive to formulate reasonable laws and policies to prevent the inappropriate use of technology, and protect the nation’s security and interests.
Liu Yen
Taipei
In an article published in Newsweek on Monday last week, President William Lai (賴清德) challenged China to retake territories it lost to Russia in the 19th century rather than invade Taiwan. “If it is really for the sake of territorial integrity, why doesn’t China take back Russia?” Lai asked, referring to territories lost in 1858 and 1860. The territories once made up the two flanks of northern Manchuria. Once ceded to Russia, they became part of the Russian far east. Claims since then have been made that China and Russia settled the disputes in the 1990s through the 2000s and that “China
Trips to the Kenting Peninsula in Pingtung County have dredged up a lot of public debate and furor, with many complaints about how expensive and unreasonable lodging is. Some people even call it a tourist “butchering ground.” Many local business owners stake claims to beach areas by setting up parasols and driving away people who do not rent them. The managing authority for the area — Kenting National Park — has long ignored the issue. Ultimately, this has affected the willingness of domestic travelers to go there, causing tourist numbers to plummet. In 2008, Taiwan opened the door to Chinese tourists and in
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) arrest is a significant development. He could have become president or vice president on a shared TPP-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) ticket and could have stood again in 2028. If he is found guilty, there would be little chance of that, but what of his party? What about the third force in Taiwanese politics? What does this mean for the disenfranchised young people who he attracted, and what does it mean for his ambitious and ideologically fickle right-hand man, TPP caucus leader Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌)? Ko and Huang have been appealing to that
On Tuesday, President William Lai (賴清德) met with a delegation from the Hoover Institution, a think tank based at Stanford University in California, to discuss strengthening US-Taiwan relations and enhancing peace and stability in the region. The delegation was led by James Ellis Jr, co-chair of the institution’s Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region project and former commander of the US Strategic Command. It also included former Australian minister for foreign affairs Marise Payne, influential US academics and other former policymakers. Think tank diplomacy is an important component of Taiwan’s efforts to maintain high-level dialogue with other nations with which it does
RSS