President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday apologized for the handling of a cluster of COVID-19 cases on board a navy ship that has left 28 crew infected, saying that as commander-in-chief, she holds ultimate responsibility for the military.
In an address at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Tsai acknowledged that the outbreak on the supply ship Panshih (磐石) has drawn a great deal of attention from the public.
As commander-in-chief, “the military’s business is my business,” Tsai said.
Photo: CNA
Although the military has done much to bolster Taiwan’s disease prevention efforts, it made many errors in its handling of the Panshih case, she said, apologizing for those errors causing a public health risk.
Tsai said that she had asked the military to rectify the situation as quickly as possible, adding that the military’s identification on Tuesday night of four areas of negligence in its handling of the case represented only the beginning of a full investigation into the matter.
“We will not attempt to evade responsibility for this,” Tsai said.
The nation remains in a state of readiness not only against the novel coronavirus, but also in terms of national security, she said.
Citing movements over the past month by the Chinese military, Tsai said that Taiwan’s armed forces would continue to conduct essential training and maintain a standard level of combat readiness.
The president was responding to growing controversy over the Panshih, which as part of a three-ship “Friendship Flotilla” that conducted a training mission in Palau from March 12 to 15.
The flotilla returned to Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung on April 9, but the ships’ crews were not allowed to disembark until Wednesday last week due to a directive that sailors are only allowed to disembark 30 days after docking in another nation.
After the Central Epidemic Command Center on Saturday and Sunday announced that 24 people on board the Panshih had been infected with COVID-19 — a number that has since risen to 28 — suspicions were raised that the military failed to report possible cases of the disease on board the ship.
On Monday, the Ministry of National Defense said that it had reviewed the ship’s medical records, which showed that 70 crew members made 71 medical visits, with five having a fever.
However, that night it said that a second review of the ship’s medical records found that 148 crew members sought medical treatment 226 times, including 10 visits for upper respiratory symptoms.
On Tuesday evening, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) announced the removal of two admirals from their posts pending further investigation of the navy’s handling of the incident, saying that he was willing to accept any punishment from Tsai, including handing in his resignation.
Following her speech, Tsai was asked to address not only the government’s response to the incident, but also the overall purpose of the training mission, given the clear risks posed by the global spread of the disease.
Some media personalities have speculated that the flotilla might have made other stops, as it could have returned to Zuoying sooner.
Asked about the speculation, Tsai said that she could not reveal the flotilla’s exact mission, but added: “If you are asking me whether there were other destinations besides Palau, the answer is ‘no.’”
Separately, the president was asked to comment on Yen’s assertion on Tuesday that he approved the mission on Feb. 20 and reported it to Tsai, who he said “respected” the decision.
Tsai confirmed that she had been informed of the mission during a routine report from the ministry, but played down her role in the military’s planning process.
“The decision was already made — the president should respect it,” Tsai said.
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