The Ministry of Digital Affairs is to build hundreds of satellite terminals to bolster the nation’s digital infrastructure against a potential Chinese attack, an official familiar with the matter said yesterday.
The Executive Yuan has authorized the ministry to proceed with the satellite terminal program, the funding for which is to come from the phase 4 budget of the “Far Vision Infrastructure Plan,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) last month reported that Internet services in Lienchiang County (Matsu) were significantly disrupted after undersea cables were severed by a Chinese trawler and another unknown vessel in separate incidents.
Photo provided by the Taiwan Space Agency
The war in Ukraine has underscored the importance of the Internet in modern combat and campaigns to garner international support, which makes the resilience of Taiwan’s cyberinfrastructure a concern for national security, the official said.
More than 700 terminals — including three outside the country — are to be installed by next year to supplement the cables, which could be targeted by the Chinese military, the official said.
The ministry is soon to announce a contract for the project, which would be awarded through open bidding, they said.
The utilization of certified non-geosynchronous orbit satellites, including low Earth orbit satellites, would be a requirement for the contract, they added.
The terminals would act as a backup system to allow the continuity of Internet communications should hostile actions cripple Taiwan’s information infrastructure, the official said.
The national security establishment is to play an advisory role in site selection, and the exact locations of the terminals are to be kept secret, they said.
The terminals are to provide the president with a secure means of communication with the premier, the Cabinet and local governments, as well as Washington and Tokyo, they said.
The system should enable the president to address the nation directly, including residents in remote regions and outlying islands, the official said, adding that some schools, hospitals, fire services, police agencies and emergency shelters would also be supported.
The government could install terminals in every township, they said.
At least 6,882 locations potentially need satellite links, but not all sites would receive terminals due to cost constraints, they said, adding that mobile terminals were being considered as a stopgap.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs is evaluating the security of two domestic companies seeking commercial permits to use satellite frequency bands, which would qualify them as service providers to the government, the official said.
Foreign companies might be allowed to bid if no local firms pass evaluations, they said.
US-CHINA SUMMIT: MOFA welcomed US reassurance of no change in its Taiwan policy; Trump said he did not comment when Xi talked of opposing independence US President Donald Trump yesterday said he has not made a decision on whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan after hearing concerns about it from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Trump’s comments on Taiwan came as he flew back to Washington after wrapping up critical talks in which both leaders said important progress was made in stabilizing US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran and Taiwan. “I will make a determination,” Trump said, adding: “I’ll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right
SECURITY: Taipei presses the US for arms supplies, saying the arms sales are not only a reflection of the US security commitment to Taiwan but also serve as a mutual deterrent against regional threats Taiwan is committed to preserving the cross-strait “status quo” and contributing to regional peace and stability, the Presidential Office said yesterday. “It is an undeniable fact that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent democratic nation,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) reiterated, adding that Beijing has no right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. The statements came after US President Donald Trump warned against Taiwanese independence. Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing on Friday, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) had pressed him not to support Taiwan. Taiwan depends heavily on US security backing to deter China from carrying
The subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in Kumamoto, Japan, turned a profit in the first quarter of this year, marking the first time the first fab of the unit has become profitable since mass production started at the end of 2024. According to the contract chipmaker’s financial statement released on Friday, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc (JASM), a joint venture running the fab in Kumamoto, posted NT$951 million (US$30.19 million) in profit in the January-to-March period, compared with a loss of NT$1.39 billion in the previous quarter, and a loss of NT$3.25 billion in the first quarter of
RESOLUTE BACKING: Two Republican senators are planning to introduce legislation that would impose immediate sanctions on China if it attempts to invade Taiwan US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday reaffirmed US congressional support for Taiwan, saying the US and “all freedom-loving people” have a stake in preventing China from seizing Taiwan by force. Johnson made the remarks in an interview with Fox News Sunday on US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) last week. In an interview that aired on Friday on Fox News, just as Trump wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China, he said he has yet to green-light a new US$14 billion arms package to Taiwan and that it “depends on China.” “It’s a very good
RSS