China has been steadily stepping up fighter plane patrols in the Taiwan Strait, according to the Ministry of National Defense?? (MND) annual national defense report released yesterday.
The report said that while Chinese fighters patrolling the Strait made about 400 sorties per year before 1998, there were 1,500 sorties in 2001 and 1,700 in 2005.
The figures have averaged between 1,300 and 1,700 since 2005, indicating a more aggressive posture, the report said.
TERRITORIAL WATERS
In addition, Chinese research vessels have intruded into Taiwan?? waters more than 20 times in the past three years, it said.
The research vessels are believed to be mapping the undersea geography of Taiwan?? and Japan?? territorial waters for use by China?? submarine force, the report said.
The latest figures show that China has around 1,300 ballistic and cruise missiles targeted at Taiwan, and is adding 75 to 100 missiles per year.
The report said China?? ballistic missiles posed the biggest threat to national security.
China has about 700 fighter jets of various types, with its most advanced Su-series fighter jets deployed in bases in southeast China, the report said.
It added that these jets would form the main force should there be a conflict between China and Taiwan.
MISSILES
The report said China procured S-300 series air defense missiles from Russia, and had proposed procuring more advanced air-defense missile systems from Russia.
The deployments of Russian Kilo-class submarines and Sovremenny-class destroyers pose a serious threat to stability in the strait, the report said.
The report added that China?? military strategy toward Taiwan was ??o use force to deter Taiwanese independence.??
This would be done by launching blockades of Taiwan?? outlying islands and sea lanes or launching a full-scale missile attack against Taiwan.
US AID
Beijing is focusing on developing long-range missiles ??o strike at US bases and battle carrier groups stationed in the Asia-Pacific ... so as to block the US from coming to the rescue of Taiwan should war break out in the Taiwan Strait,??the report said.
??lthough the Chinese communists have claimed they would like to solve the Taiwan issue in a peaceful manner, they have asked their forces to step up preparation for military struggle against Taiwan,??it said.
China believes that ??f it employs military actions against Taiwan, foreign intervention would be its greatest concern, with the United States being the most significant foreign power,??the report said.
OFFLINE: People who do not wish to register can get the money from select ATMs using their bank card, ID number and National Health Insurance card number Online registration for NT$6,000 (US$196.32) cash payments drawn from last year’s tax surplus is to open today for eligible people whose national ID or permanent residency number ends in either a zero or a one, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday. Officials from the ministry revealed which days Taiwanese and eligible foreigners would be able to register for the cash payments at a joint news conference with the Ministry of Digital Affairs. Online registration is to open tomorrow for those whose number ends in a two or three; on Friday for those that end in a four or five: on Saturday
TECH PROGRAM: A US official said that an important part of the delegation’s trip would be to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co executives The US is to send officials in charge of chip development to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to promote cooperation in the global semiconductor supply chain, the US Department of Commerce said on Tuesday. Chips Program Office Director Michael Schmidt announced the visit, which marks the first time officials from the office are to visit the three nations since it was set up in September last year. “As semiconductors and technologies continue to evolve, the United States will keep working with allies and partners to develop coordinated strategies to ensure that malign actors cannot use the latest technologies to undermine our collective
Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) officials are investigating why a Starlux Airlines flight to Penang, Malaysia, returned to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport nearly two hours after takeoff yesterday morning. The airline said in a statement that Flight JX721 to Penang took off from Taoyuan airport at 9:20am. “After the dashboard showed a signal of an abnormality in the hydraulic system, the captain followed standard operating procedures and returned the flight to Taoyuan airport for safety precautions,” the airline said, adding that the flight landed safely at the airport at 11:04am. The airline arranged for the passengers to have lunch after the flight landed and
Seven senior faculty members, including the principal, of a high school in Taichung were temporarily suspended from their jobs on Friday, pending an investigation by the Taichung Education Bureau into alleged bullying and abuse that led to the suicide of a student last month. The city’s education officials were too slow to suspend those involved, the student’s father told a news conference on Wednesday, at which Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) and members of the Humanistic Education Foundation were also present. The boy had been a good student and a high achiever during elementary and junior-high, and had
RSS