As a result of this year's purchase of arms from the US, the military will be able to effectively counter a military challenge from China, Minister of National Defense Wu Shih-wen (
"Over the next decade, the military is expected to be greatly transformed. The transformation is the result of the purchase of new arms from the US as well as the implementation of military restructuring projects," Wu said.
"By that time, the military will be able to face the challenge from China in a whole new way," he said.
Wu made the remarks yesterday during a seminar in Taipei entitled, "The prospect of the security of Taiwan in 2010." The meeting was organized by a DPP lawmaker.
Wu said that over the next five years, China's military will still be quite limited in its ability to launch a successful invasion of Taiwan.
Quoting the most recent report by the US Department of Defense on the strength of the Chinese military, Wu said, "Between 2000 and 2005, the Chinese military is limited in its ability to invade Taiwan because of problems with its joint operation capabilities and logistic support systems."
"Despite that fact, we cannot lower our defenses against a potential military threat from China," Wu said.
"Over the next ten years, China will focus its efforts on developing cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. It will also strengthen weapons systems that can help it secure control of the air and sea," Wu predicted.
"China's aim is to launch a `blitzkrieg' against Taiwan with these weapons. It hopes these weapons will eliminate people's will to fight as well as prevent a third country from intervening in the war between Taiwan and China," he said.
RESILIENCE: Taiwan plays a key role in semiconductors, energy, information infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, AIT Director Raymond Greene said Taiwan’s continued investment in deterrence and resilience remains vital, especially in uncrewed systems and other emerging technologies, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene said yesterday. Greene made the remarks at the annual National Strategic Summit on Supply Chain Resilience held by the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET), a government-backed think tank. As Taiwan last year became the US’ fourth-largest trading partner and supply chain security is becoming more important, cooperation in emerging technologies continues to deepen between the two countries, he said. The US is committed to accelerating innovation, building key infrastructure, strengthening cooperation
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday showcased its locally developed variants of the Vision 60 robotic patrol dog, which it plans to deploy on the nation’s outlying territories in the South China Sea. The variants were produced under the Joint Lab project — created by the institute and domestic companies — and assembled with domestically produced motors, lenses and artificial intelligence (AI) systems alongside licensed tech from the US, Missile and Rocket Systems Research Division deputy director Jen Kuo-kang (任國光) told the media event at a military base in Taipei’s Dazhi (大直) area. Taiwan has built up its strengths
RIGHT DIRECTION: Taiwan’s efforts to prevent forced labor include a proposal to ‘fully prohibit’ employers from withholding workers’ documents, an official said Taiwan is to establish a mechanism to restrict imports of goods linked to forced labor, the Executive Yuan said yesterday, after the US proposed imposing additional tariffs on Taiwanese goods over labor concerns. “The Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Economic Affairs are to establish an interministerial review procedure,” Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said at a news briefing in Taipei. “The government is to use the Foreign Trade Act [貿易法] as the legal basis to restrict imports of goods produced with forced labor” and bring its supply chain governance more in line with international standards on human rights, resilience
NOT IMMEDIATE: Taiwan has a chance to appeal the proposed 10 percent tariff before it starts, while other countries face a 12.5 percent tariff from the trade office Taiwan is among 60 economies determined by the US to have failed to impose or enforce a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labor, according to a notice released on Tuesday by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), which proposed imposing an additional 10 percent or more tariff on them. The USTR in a statement said that following an investigation, it had determined under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 that the failure of the 60 economies to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor is
RSS