The marines are keeping a heavy presence on the strategic Pratas Islands (
A small group of reporters was briefed by the military during a rare visit to the horseshoe-shaped coral reef archipelago, about 430km south of Kaohsiung.
Pratas provides a vital South China Sea base against Chinese offensives and gives the military at least five additional minutes of warning against air attacks. The outpost is also a key staging area for anti-submarine warfare.
During the recent rise in tensions between Taiwan and China, there has been speculation that the Chinese would try to scare Taiwan by seizing Pratas, which Taiwanese troops have occupied for more than 40 years.
Although the military would not discuss the specifics of Taiwan's strategy and defense of Pratas, officers said the 2.4-square-kilometer island was secure.
"We're keeping the necessary force to keep communist China away,'' said General Chang Cheng-chung, who declined to say how many marines were based on the island. ``We're confident we can continue to carry out this mission."
Taiwanese military analyst Chung Chien (
"If China wanted to easily grab some Taiwan-controlled territory, there are plenty of lightly defended rocks they would probably choose first," Chung said.
But Chung added that the island's strategic importance would make it a tempting target.
"If anyone could grab Pratas, they could control traffic between Taiwan, the Philippines and Hong Kong," he said.
During the four hour tour of Pratas, reporters were blocked from visiting most of the island, including its labyrinth of underground bunkers.
LONG FLIGHT: The jets would be flown by US pilots, with Taiwanese copilots in the two-seat F-16D variant to help familiarize them with the aircraft, the source said The US is expected to fly 10 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70/72 jets to Taiwan over the coming months to fulfill a long-awaited order of 66 aircraft, a defense official said yesterday. Word that the first batch of the jets would be delivered soon was welcome news to Taiwan, which has become concerned about delays in the delivery of US arms amid rising military tensions with China. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the initial tranche of the nation’s F-16s are rolling off assembly lines in the US and would be flown under their own power to Taiwan by way
OBJECTS AT SEA: Satellites with synthetic-aperture radar could aid in the detection of small Chinese boats attempting to illegally enter Taiwan, the space agency head said Taiwan aims to send the nation’s first low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite into space in 2027, while the first Formosat-8 and Formosat-9 spacecraft are to be launched in October and 2028 respectively, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday. The council laid out its space development plan in a report reviewed by members of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee. Six LEO satellites would be produced in the initial phase, with the first one, the B5G-1A, scheduled to be launched in 2027, the council said in the report. Regarding the second satellite, the B5G-1B, the government plans to work with private contractors
‘NARWHAL’: The indigenous submarine completed its harbor acceptance test recently and is now under heavy guard as it undergoes tests in open waters, a source said The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, yesterday began sea trials, sailing out of the Port of Kaohsiung, a military source said. Also known as the “Narwhal,” the vessel departed from CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard at about 8am, where it had been docked. More than 10 technicians and military personnel were on deck, with several others standing atop the sail. After recently completing its harbor acceptance test, the vessel has started a series of sea-based trials, including tests of its propulsion and navigational systems, while partially surfaced, the source said. The Hai Kun underwent tests in the port from
MISSION: The Indo-Pacific region is ‘the priority theater,’ where the task of deterrence extends across the entire region, including Taiwan, the US Pacific Fleet commander said The US Navy’s “mission of deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific theater applies to Taiwan, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler told the South China Sea Conference on Tuesday. The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is an international platform for senior officials and experts from countries with security interests in the region. “The Pacific Fleet’s mission is to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, together with our allies and partners, and to prevail in combat if necessary, Koehler said in the event’s keynote speech. “That mission of deterrence applies regionwide — including the South China Sea and Taiwan,” he