Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) yesterday called on regional partners to work together to counter Chinese maritime expansionism.
It is the overwhelming international consensus that the stability of Taiwan is an important factor in global prosperity, she told the International Conference on Sea Lane Security in a prerecorded video.
The conference in Taipei has gathered security experts and officials from Taiwan, the US, the UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, India and the Philippines to discuss how new technologies can aid monitoring and response capabilities at sea, in addition to international cooperation.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Separately, experts yesterday called for more freedom of navigation transits in the Taiwan Strait to counter Chinese incursions, after China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly sailed a navy ship east of the Taiwan Strait’s median line to monitor a passing Turkish corvette.
Chinese-language RW News on Tuesday reported that the Ada-class Turkish Navy corvette TCG Kinaliada during a northward transit through the Taiwan Strait was monitored by a PLA vessel sailing east of the median line.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning (毛寧) on Monday criticized a similar transit by the HNLMS Tromp of the Royal Netherlands Navy as destabilizing to peace and stability in the region.
As the Taiwan Strait is now a geopolitical hotspot, there is a need to “clearly and forcefully” demonstrate shared values such as the right to freedom of navigation, Kuma Academy chief executive officer Ho Cheng-hui (何澄輝) said yesterday.
If concrete actions are not taken, China and other authoritarian states would be emboldened to expand their reach, he said.
A significant portion of the Taiwan Strait is open water that has always served as an important trade route, necessitating the presence of navy ships to maintain the rules of free navigation, he added, giving the example of the Red Sea, where various nations have sent navy vessels in an attempt to restore peace.
There is a difference between calling for freedom of navigation and practicing it, Tamkang University Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies director Li Da-jung (李大中) said.
At the moment it is mostly the US that is sending ships through the Taiwan Strait, as Washington does not fear reprisals from Beijing, he said, adding that other nations are concerned about the political consequences.
Additional reporting by Cheng Ching-yi
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
RSS