Boosting national defense is not a provocation, but to deter an invasion, and safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday.
“Investing in our armed forces is investing in peace,” Lai said at a ceremony to promote military officers at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
China is continuing its “gray zone” tactics, using military intimidation in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, he added.
Photo: CNA
“Its actions are designed to put pressure on our troops, while they also threaten regional security and disrupt global economic development,” he said.
“Taiwan must have resolute determination to safeguard the homeland, deter annexation or invasion, as well as moves to force unification,” Lai said.
“Taiwan would boost its asymmetrical warfare capabilities by adding more high-tech networks and hardware systems,” he said.
“We shall introduce new training methods, new strategic concepts, new equipment and new technologies to modernize Taiwan’s military and make it more flexible,” he said.
The armed forces should work together toward these goals, implementing the concepts into every unit, he added.
Lai congratulated four officers who were promoted to major general: Liang Ting-wei (梁庭蔚), Lee Chen-hua (李振華), Hu Chih-hua (胡志華) and Lo Wei-chung (羅偉中).
Liang was promoted for his work as head of a command to assist with relief and recovery efforts in Hualien County following Typhoon Ragasa last month.
Lee, an air force officer, was promoted for his work redesigning and deploying air routes.
Hu, a Mirage fighter pilot, was promoted for his outstanding record in flying and his work at air show demonstrations.
Lo was promoted for overseeing reforms at National Defense University in Taoyuan, as well as success with student recruitment efforts and course curriculum improvements.
CROSS-STRAIT COLLABORATION: The new KMT chairwoman expressed interest in meeting the Chinese president from the start, but she’ll have to pay to get in Beijing allegedly agreed to let Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) around the Lunar New Year holiday next year on three conditions, including that the KMT block Taiwan’s arms purchases, a source said yesterday. Cheng has expressed interest in meeting Xi since she won the KMT’s chairmanship election in October. A source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a consensus on a meeting was allegedly reached after two KMT vice chairmen visited China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Director Song Tao (宋濤) in China last month. Beijing allegedly gave the KMT three conditions it had to
‘BALANCE OF POWER’: Hegseth said that the US did not want to ‘strangle’ China, but to ensure that none of Washington’s allies would be vulnerable to military aggression Washington has no intention of changing the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, adding that one of the US military’s main priorities is to deter China “through strength, not through confrontation.” Speaking at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, Hegseth outlined the US Department of Defense’s priorities under US President Donald Trump. “First, defending the US homeland and our hemisphere. Second, deterring China through strength, not confrontation. Third, increased burden sharing for us, allies and partners. And fourth, supercharging the US defense industrial base,” he said. US-China relations under
The Chien Feng IV (勁蜂, Mighty Hornet) loitering munition is on track to enter flight tests next month in connection with potential adoption by Taiwanese and US armed forces, a government source said yesterday. The kamikaze drone, which boasts a range of 1,000km, debuted at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in September, the official said on condition of anonymity. The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology and US-based Kratos Defense jointly developed the platform by leveraging the engine and airframe of the latter’s MQM-178 Firejet target drone, they said. The uncrewed aerial vehicle is designed to utilize an artificial intelligence computer
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday decided to shelve proposed legislation that would give elected officials full control over their stipends, saying it would wait for a consensus to be reached before acting. KMT Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍) last week proposed amendments to the Organic Act of the Legislative Yuan (立法院組織法) and the Regulations on Allowances for Elected Representatives and Subsidies for Village Chiefs (地方民意代表費用支給及村里長事務補助費補助條例), which would give legislators and councilors the freedom to use their allowances without providing invoices for reimbursement. The proposal immediately drew criticism, amid reports that several legislators face possible charges of embezzling fees intended to pay
RSS