President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday urged three visiting Baltic foreign affairs committee heads to help facilitate Taiwan’s participation in their countries’ NATO Centres of Excellence (COE).
Tsai made the request at a meeting with Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Estonian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, and his counterparts, Zygimantas Pavilionis of the Lithuanian Seimas and Rihards Kols of the Latvian Saeima, who are on a six-day visit to Taiwan.
The COEs are international military organizations that train and educate leaders and specialists from NATO member and partner countries, information on the alliance’s Web site says.
Photo: CNA
The president expressed hope that the delegation could help Taiwan participate in the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia, the Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Latvia and the Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Lithuania.
Joining the COEs would deepen cooperation between Taiwan and the Baltic states on national defense, cybersecurity and all-out defense, Tsai said.
Thanking the Baltic nations for speaking up for Taiwan on many international occasions, including at the World Health Assembly in May, Tsai said that the visit is significant for regional security and bolstering international solidarity among democracies.
The Baltic nations’ spirit and actions in defending democratic beliefs, as exemplified by their vigorous support of Ukraine, “are truly admirable,” Tsai said.
The Taiwanese government and society donated nearly US$58 million and more than 700 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and will continue to work with the Baltic states and other countries to assist Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction, she said.
Mihkelson said that the main purpose of the joint visit is to learn more about Taiwan and the “possibilities to enhance cooperation between our democratic societies.”
The trip is also a “show of solidarity at these turbulent times” against the aggression from neighboring authoritarian regimes, he said.
Taiwan has been recognized by the international society as a responsible partner for its contributions in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, as well as for building a resilient society against authoritarian pressures, Mihkelson said.
The delegation, which is to leave Taiwan today, has learned during the trip that “there are numerous possibilities and new avenues we can strengthen cooperation between Baltic nations and Taiwan,” such as digitalization, cybersecurity, trade and economy, and science, he said.
The Baltic nations’ history of fighting for freedom and democracy against the Soviet Union taught them that “we should never be alone again,” he said, adding that the three countries have all built strong democratic societies and robust partnerships with allies to safeguard their hard-fought freedom.
Since February last year, the three countries have each spent more than 1 percent of their GDP to help Ukraine as they fight for shared freedom and a rules-based world order, he said.
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
DEFENSIVE EDGE: The liaison officer would work with Taiwan on drones and military applications for other civilian-developed technologies, a source said A Pentagon unit tasked with facilitating the US military’s adoption of new technology is soon to deploy officials to dozens of friendly nations, including Taiwan, the Financial Times reported yesterday. The US Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is to send a representative to collaborate with Taiwan on drones and military applications from the semiconductor industry by the end of the year, the British daily reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “Drones will certainly be a focus, but they will also be looking at connecting to the broader civilian and dual-use ecosystem, including the tech sector,” one source was
RSS