Minister of National Defense Lee Tien-yu (
"It is an international norm for military personnel in major troop reviews not to be armed with loaded weapons," Lee said when taking questions from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Huang Chao-shun (
When approached by reporters on his way to the session, Lee also said it was "unnecessary" for the military to carry loaded weapons to the celebration.
"This is a safety rule and not an exceptional case. It has always been like this since I participated in the National Day military review as a student," Lee said.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Lee and Chang were asked to comment on a report published in yesterday's Chinese-language China Times, which quoted an anonymous source from the military as saying that the NSB had requested all troops performing today to carry empty weapons.
The story cited another unidentified NSB source as saying that the rule was standard operating procedure and applied to the military police, while the military could decide for itself.
When asked to comment yesterday morning, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who is in charge of organizing the celebration, said he did not know anything about the NSB's request.
KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang (
Meanwhile, another China Times story said that the military had spent up to NT$77 million (US$2.3 million) on the parade and would show off 2,000 soldiers, 200 pieces of ground equipment and 300 helicopters and fighters.
Wang said the cost was "reasonable," when asked for comment.
"We spend a similar amount of money [on the celebrations] each year. The only difference [between the expense of this year and other years] is the military performance," Wang said, adding that extra personnel costs were unavoidable.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
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