Military tensions with China are at their worst in more than 40 years, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said yesterday, days after record numbers of incursions by Chinese aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
Tensions have hit a new high between Taipei and Beijing, and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft have repeatedly flown through Taiwan’s ADIZ.
Over a four-day period beginning on Friday, Taiwan said that nearly 150 PLA military aircraft entered its ADIZ, part of a pattern of what Taipei calls Beijing’s continued harassment of the nation.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
At a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator William Tseng (曾銘宗) asked Chiu about current military tensions with China and whether he agreed with a May report in The Economist, which said that Taiwan is the “most dangerous place on Earth.”
That is just the opinion of the foreign media, but the situation is the “most serious” in the more than 40 years since he joined the military, Chiu said.
“For me as a military man, the urgency is right in front of me,” he said.
China has the ability to invade Taiwan and its military would have the capability of mounting a “full scale” invasion by 2025, Chiu added.
“By 2025, China will bring the cost and attrition to its lowest. It has the capacity now, but it will not start a war easily, having to take many other things into consideration,” he told the committee which, with the legislature’s Finance Committee, is reviewing a special military purchase act of NT$240 billion (US$8.6 billion) for indigenous weapons, including missiles and warships.
In response to Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Michelle Lin’s (林楚茵) queries about the guiding principle behind Taiwan’s military reactions, Chiu said: “Our military holds to the principle that we will not fire the first shot.”
Taiwanese pilots are under great duress because of this policy, he said, adding that he has visited air bases multiple times to encourage the pilots and told officers that they need to interact more with their troops.
A source has said on condition of anonymity that the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee has arranged two classified visits for its members: one to the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology to tour its manufacturing facility and another to the Hai Feng Brigade to inspect missiles.
The military had placed the Hsiung Sheng missile on public display and it was the first time that the legislators had seen it, the source said.
The lawmakers’ confidence in Taiwan’s defensive capabilities grew after learning that the Hsiung Feng IIE (Brave Wind) has a range of 600km, while the Hsiung Sheng cruise missile has a range of more than 1,000km, the source added.
The purchase act is likely to include the purchase of more than 100 Hsiung Sheng missiles, which would greatly augment Taiwan’s ability to deter China, the source 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
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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