Singapore has decided to move at least part of the military training facilities it has had in Taiwan for more than two decades to China, a source close to the military and a lawmaker said yesterday.
The issue was raised during last week's visit by Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew (
"The Ministry of National Defense was unhappy with the decision that Singapore is to move its training bases to China's Hainan Island," he said.
"But we are still not sure if they want a partial pullout, a downgrade of the program, or a scrapping of the entire one," he said.
Under a military-cooperation program known as "Operation Hsing Kuang" (Starlight), Singapore has operated three military training camps in Taiwan since 1975.
DPP Legislator Peter Lin (林進興) confirmed the move.
"Some sort of decision has already been made although the government has made last-ditch efforts" to persuade Singapore not to move the training facilities, Lin told reporters.
He declined to provide details "for the sake of national interest."
Lin warned earlier this year that China had offered to provide Singapore with military training facilities as part of Beijing's attempt to sabotage the city-state's ties with Taiwan.
The issue was first unveiled by London-based Jane's Defense Weekly last year.
The publication said Singapore had been reluctant to accept the offer, the first to a foreign country by China, for fear of changing its arrangement with Taiwan.
Lee visited Taiwan for four days last week after a trip to Beijing. He met with President Chen Shui-bian (
Taiwan sent air force and naval officers to Singapore during the city state's early years of independence after 1965.
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
‘UNFRIENDLY’: Changing the nationality listing of Taiwanese residents to ‘China’ goes against EU foreign policy as well as democratic and human rights principles, MOFA said Taiwan yesterday called on Denmark to correct its designation of the nationality of Taiwanese residents as “China” or face retaliatory measures. The Danish government in 2024 changed the nationality of Taiwanese citizens on their residence permits from “Taiwan” to “China.” The decision goes against EU foreign policy and contravenes democratic and human rights principles, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said. Denmark should present a solution acceptable to Taiwan as soon as possible and correct the erroneous designation to preserve the longstanding friendship between the two nations, Hsiao said. The issue could damage Denmark’s image and business reputation in Taiwan,
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
RSS