A US Department of Defense report on the Chinese military released on Monday briefly criticized Taiwan’s defense spending and its transition to voluntary military service.
The report, Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2013, said that as the Taiwanese government shifts to a national volunteer force, the freed-up savings and resources are being used for personnel salaries and benefits, but it is “diverting funds from foreign and indigenous [weapons] acquisition programs.”
It said the program did not meet is objective, with a total of 235,000 people inducted into military service in recent years, far below the target of 270,000.
“Taiwan’s military spending has dropped to approximately 2 percent of GDP — well below President Ma’s [Ying-jeou (馬英九)] pledge of 3 percent,” the report said, adding that China’s defense budget is 10 times that of Taiwan.
The annual report to the US Congress covers China’s security and military strategies, as well as the security situation in the Taiwan Strait.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia David Helvey briefed journalists on the report at a press conference at the Pentagon on Monday.
“Over the past year, cross-strait relations have improved. However, China’s military buildup shows no signs of slowing,” Helvey said, adding that China has more than 1,100 short and medium-range ballistic missiles directed at Taiwan.
The range and capability of the missiles are being enhanced, and China is modernizing its conventional and precision-attack weapons deployed against Taiwan, Helvey said.
“China’s overall strategy [toward Taiwan] continues to incorporate elements of persuasion and coercion to deter or repress the development of political attitudes in Taiwan favoring independence,” he said, quoting the report.
“Dealing with a potential contingency in the Taiwan Strait remains the PLA’s [People’s Liberation Army] primary mission ... In this context, should deterrence fail, the PLA would be called upon to compel Taiwan to abandon independence, or to re-unify [sic] with the mainland by force of arms, while defeating any third-party intervention on Taiwan’s behalf,” he said.
The report indicated that the PLA’s ability to attack Taiwan is improving each year, as currently China is unable to totally cut off Taiwan through a maritime blockade.
However, this capability will be substantially improved over the next five to 10 years, he said.
The US Department of Defense added that the PLA’s modernization is based on preparations for a Taiwan conflict with the possibility of US intervention, and that the “Taiwan military’s technological superiority, and the inherent geographic advantages of island defense” are gradually eroding.
The PLA Air Force “has stationed a large number of advanced aircraft within an unrefueled range of Taiwan, providing them with a significant capability to conduct air superiority and ground attack operations against Taiwan,” and “a number of long-range air defense systems provide a strong layer of defense of China’s mainland against a counterattack,” the report said.
“China’s development of support aircraft provide it improved ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] to support PLA Air Force operations in a contingency,” the report said.
In addition, the PLA Navy has developed “a credible at-sea nuclear deterrent, and introducing new platforms that are positioned to strike Taiwan in a cross-Strait conflict” and its new weapons “are designed to achieve sea superiority within the first island chain and counter any third party intervention in a Taiwan conflict,” the report said.
The report’s conclusion said that although progress is being made on cross-strait dialogue, the Taiwanese government and much of the public are not supportive of direct negotiations on issues of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old