The Executive Yuan yesterday detailed initiatives to boost homeland security resilience ahead of a legislative hearing on the plans today.
The Cabinet has allocated NT$590 billion (US$19.47 billion) to fund initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructure and capabilities necessary to counter China’s “gray zone” tactics, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference in Taipei.
The budget also covers the legislature’s nationwide NT$10,000 cash handouts following an amendment to the government’s resilience bill, officials said.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
Deputy Minister of National Defense Yang Chi-jung (楊基榮) requested an NT$11.3 billion budget for hardening the military’s command and control structures, modernizing installations and improving maritime security.
The Ministry of National Defense plans to establish a dual-use telecommunications system with satellite and mobile assets, as well as a strategic stockpiles of components, fuel, potable water and food, he said.
The measures would enhance the armed forces’ capabilities to sustain operations in a protracted war or other national emergency, Yang said.
Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister and Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Director-General Chang Chung-lung (張忠龍) said the council requires a NT$29.5 billion budget for essential programs, including shipbuilding.
The coast guard needs more ships with the speed and size to deal with Chinese provocations, which means adding 12 2,000-tonne class, 14 300-tonne class and 14 100-tonne class vessels to the guard’s ship list, he said.
The 2,000-tonne vessels would be of all-steel construction to increase collision resilience, while the 300-tonne vessels would enable the CGA to deal with most China Coast Guard and maritime militia ships, and the 100-tonne vessels would replace older, slower boats, he added.
The administration would replace its command and control systems and night vision devices, introduce artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity matters and intelligence analysis, and obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles with surveillance capabilities, Yang said.
The Ministry of the Interior would seek an NT$11.3 billion allocation from the budget to increase anti-terrorism capabilities, obtain more drones, and harden key infrastructure and facilities, including telecommunications systems, Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said.
It would also seek to refurbish air raid shelters in government buildings that could house civilians during a military conflict, and improve local governments’ disaster-prevention capabilities, he said.
The ministry would spend NT$5 billion in subsidies to bolster or replace aging structures that lack earthquake resistance, and NT$3.4 billion for police to modernize body armor, first aid kits and night vision devices.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Jong-i (胡忠一) said his ministry would spend NT$200 million on subsidies to install automatic identification systems on 5,000 Taiwanese fishing vessels under 20 tonnes that lack the devices.
The subsidies would cover 50 percent of the installation costs, he said.
The project would improve navigational safety and the ability to detect Chinese infiltration or sabotage operations that utilize small vessels, Hu said.
The automatic identification systems of Taiwanese fishing boats are to be integrated into military and coast guard command systems, boosting their efforts to protect undersea cables, he said.
Additional reporting by Chung Li-hua
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