Taipei yesterday lauded the US for a newly eneacted defense spending bill, while China panned the legislation, which would boost military assistance for Taiwan.
US President Joe Biden on Friday signed the US$858 billion defense bill into law, authorizing up to US$10 billion in security assistance and fast-tracked weapons procurement for Taiwan.
It also includes about US$45 billion more than Biden had requested, as lawmakers looked to offset inflation and boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia.
Photo: EPA-EFE
In the Indo-Pacific region, the legislation authorizes increased security cooperation with Taiwan and requires expanded cooperation with India on emerging defense technologies, readiness and logistics.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement thanked the US Congress “for showing the great importance it attaches to Taiwan-US relations and strengthening Taiwan’s security.”
The Ministry of National Defense also thanked Washington for the legislation, saying it showed the importance the US attaches to its ties with Taiwan and bolstering the nation’s security.
Taipei is to discuss the details of the act with Washington and “gradually push forward the budget formulation and actual disbursement of the various Taiwan-friendly provisions,” the defense ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the US defense bill “severely affects peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
“The case ignores the facts to exaggerate a ‘China threat,’ wantonly interferes in China’s internal affairs and attacks and smears the Chinese Communist Party, which are serious political provocations to China,” the statement said.
The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties.
Taiwan’s military is dwarfed by that of China. Its air force in particular has come under strain from having to scramble repeatedly to see off Chinese incursions near the nation over the past couple of years.
Separately, the defense ministry yesterday reported that 11 Chinese military aircraft and three naval ships had been detected near Taiwan between 6am Friday and 6am yesterday.
Taiwanese fighter jets were deployed to warn the Chinese aircraft, and air defense missiles were deployed to monitor the activities, it added.
China in August staged major military exercises around Taiwan proper, after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei.
FIREPOWER: On top of the torpedoes, the military would procure Kestrel II anti-tank weapons systems to replace aging license-produced M72 LAW launchers Taiwan is to receive US-made Mark 48 torpedoes and training simulators over the next three years, following delays that hampered the navy’s operational readiness, the Ministry of National Defense’s latest budget proposal showed. The navy next year would acquire four training simulator systems for the torpedoes and take receipt of 14 torpedoes in 2027 and 10 torpedoes in 2028, the ministry said in its budget for the next fiscal year. The torpedoes would almost certainly be utilized in the navy’s two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines and the indigenously developed Hai Kun, should the attack sub successfully reach operational status. US President Donald Trump
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to start construction of its 1.4-nanometer chip manufacturing facilities at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP, 中部科學園區) as early as October, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday, citing the park administration. TSMC acquired land for the second phase of the park’s expansion in Taichung in June. Large cement, construction and facility engineering companies in central Taiwan have reportedly been receiving bids for TSMC-related projects, the report said. Supply-chain firms estimated that the business opportunities for engineering, equipment and materials supply, and back-end packaging and testing could reach as high as
ALL QUIET: The Philippine foreign secretary told senators she would not respond to questions about whether Lin Chia-lung was in the country The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that a business delegation is visiting the Philippines, but declined to say whether Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is part of the group, as Philippine lawmakers raised questions over Lin’s reported visit. The group is being led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin (黃昭欽), Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) chairman Joseph Lyu (呂桔誠) and US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) vice president Lotta Danielsson, the ministry said in a statement. However, sources speaking on condition of anonymity said that Lin is leading the delegation of 70 people. Filinvest New Clark City Innovation Park
TPP RALLY: The clashes occurred near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Saturday at a rally to mark the anniversary of a raid on former TPP chairman Ko Wen-je People who clashed with police at a Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) rally in Taipei on Saturday would be referred to prosecutors for investigation, said the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the National Police Agency. Taipei police had collected evidence of obstruction of public officials and coercion by “disorderly” demonstrators, as well as contraventions of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法), the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. It added that amid the “severe pushing and jostling” by some demonstrators, eight police officers were injured, including one who was sent to hospital after losing consciousness, allegedly due to heat stroke. The Taipei
RSS