Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Speaking outside the legislature, Chang said the Cabinet canceled its plan to fund the company because the leak had damaged the trust between Taiwan and other countries.
The existence of the company could also arouse concerns from other countries, he said, adding that Taiwan Goal had been unable to reach the objectives set by the government.
PHOTO: CNA
He did not specify what these confidential documents were, nor did he clarify which countries had been discussing cooperation with Taiwan Goal.
Chang confirmed the existence of Taiwan Goal on Feb. 15, following a report by the Chinese-language China Times.
The fact that 45 percent of the newly established arms firm's initial capital would come from the Ministry of National Defense (MND) had sparked speculation from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) that the government would seek to profit from the company.
During his administrative report to the legislature on Friday, the premier defended Cabinet policy by saying that Taiwan Goal would not be disbanded.
However, the Cabinet announced a sudden halt to government investment in the company on Saturday after former minister of National Defense Lee Tien-yu (
Chang yesterday again dismissed the pan-blue camp's concerns that the company could make illegal profits from arms trade, adding that the company had not received funding from the government or signed contracts with anyone.
During a question-and-answer session with KMT Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) later yesterday, Chang said the Cabinet would urge the MND to investigate personnel related to the establishment of the company to determine if any were involved in illegal activity.
New Minister of National Defense Michael Tsai (
Meanwhile, Chang said the Cabinet did not have any power to disband Taiwan Goal, adding that the Taipei City Government had the authority over the matter, as the firm is registered there.
Asked for comment, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (
"Taiwan Goal did not file any [registration] application at the city government's Office of Commerce. Moreover, a company cannot be disbanded unless its board members have decided to do so," Hau said.
"I believe [disbanding the company] has nothing to do with the Taipei City Government. No one at the city government doubles as a board member at the firm. Everyone knows this. This is common sense," he said.
In related developments, Tsai yesterday downplayed the impact of the information leak related to the Po Sheng ("Broad Victory") system -- a sophisticated command, control and communications network the government is purchasing from US defense contractor Lockheed Martin.
Tsai was referring to the arrest, by US law enforcement officials on Feb. 11, of three people on charges of spying for China to obtain top secret information on US arms sales to Taiwan over a period of more than two years.
"The Po Sheng system is still under construction. It has not been fully implemented. So far the security [of the system] has not been compromised," Tsai said when responding to questions by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lee Chun-yee (
Tsai said that the seriousness of the leak would not be known until the FBI had concluded its investigation.
Taiwan yesterday condemned the recent increase in Chinese coast guard-escorted fishing vessels operating illegally in waters around the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. Unusually large groupings of Chinese fishing vessels began to appear around the islands on Feb. 15, when at least six motherships and 29 smaller boats were sighted, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said in a news release. While CGA vessels were dispatched to expel the Chinese boats, Chinese coast guard ships trespassed into Taiwan’s restricted waters and unsuccessfully attempted to interfere, the CGA said. Due to the provocation, the CGA initiated an operation to increase
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
‘MALIGN PURPOSE’: Governments around the world conduct espionage operations, but China’s is different, as its ultimate goal is annexation, a think tank head said Taiwan is facing a growing existential threat from its own people spying for China, experts said, as the government seeks to toughen measures to stop Beijing’s infiltration efforts and deter Taiwanese turncoats. While Beijing and Taipei have been spying on each other for years, experts said that espionage posed a bigger threat to Taiwan due to the risk of a Chinese attack. Taiwan’s intelligence agency said China used “diverse channels and tactics” to infiltrate the nation’s military, government agencies and pro-China organizations. The main targets were retired and active members of the military, persuaded by money, blackmail or pro-China ideology to steal
RSS