China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will.
The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement.
China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth.
Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency
The navy continues to counter Chinese actions by using its forces flexibly and integrating reconnaissance assets to ensure constant surveillance and quick reactions, it said.
The military closely watches the development of new tactics by the Chinese and takes prompt countermeasures to defend the nation’s sovereign waters, it said.
Navy Commander Admiral Tang Hua (唐華) on Thursday said in an interview with The Economist that the PLA is enacting an “anaconda strategy” to subdue Taiwan and that the nation’s armed forces are being stretched thin.
The Chinese military is “slowly, but surely” increasing its presence around Taiwan proper, he was quoted by the magazine as saying.
“They are ready to blockade Taiwan at any time they want,” he said.
PLA air incursions across the Taiwan Strait’s median line surged five times from 36 in January to 193 last month, and Chinese ships operating near Taiwanese waters have doubled from 142 to 282 during the same period, he said.
Chinese ships have moved closer to Taiwan and sail along the nation’s contiguous zone, or 24 nautical miles (44km) from shore, patrolling for days at a time, Tang said.
Citing Taiwanese analysts Ma Cheng-kun (馬振坤) and Tristan Tan, The Economist said the Taiwanese navy is deploying 25 percent to 50 percent of its combat strength to match PLA patrols.
“They give you extreme pressure, pressure, pressure. They’re trying to exhaust you,” Tang said, adding that a government audit found that more than half of Taiwanese principal combatants have fallen behind schedule on maintenance.
Most Taiwanese are unaware of PLA patrols’ proximity and regularity, as government updates on Chinese military activities do not identify warship types, their designation or the duration of their presence, Tang said.
The government could be worried that disclosure could harm Taiwanese morale or the economy, he was paraphrased as saying.
The navy is focused on avoiding confrontation as the PLA inches closer to the nation, because Beijing’s goal is to “force Taiwan to make mistakes,” Tang said, adding that mishaps could serve as “excuses” for launching a blockade.
The military this year issued new rules of engagement that legally and morally define the justifiable use of force, he said.
“We restrain our guys not to provoke or escalate,” he added.
The PLA has 10 times as many destroyers as Taiwan and twice as many frigates, The Economist 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