A firm in which Chinese capital is invested is in charge of conducting maintenance work on Taiwanese military aircraft, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) lawmakers said yesterday, warning that as a result, sensitive national defense information could be obtained by Beijing.
The AirAsia group won maintenance bids worth NT$230 million (US$7.85 million) for the air force’s fleet of B-1900 and FK-50 aircraft as well as the army’s CH47, OH-58 and TH67 helicopters last year, TSU Legislator Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉) told a press conference.
Hong Kong-based Yangtse Development Co, owned by arms broker Yang Dong (楊棟), has purchased 2.5 million shares in Taiwan-listed Chuan Ting Co, which in turn invested in Taiwan Aerospace Corp (TAC), TSU Legislator Huang Wen-ling (黃文玲) said, adding that TAC controls 82 percent of the shares of AirAsia.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
“Chuan Ting therefore owns 25 percent of the shares in AirAsia,” TSU Legislator Hsu Chung-hsin (許忠信) said.
Yangtse could possibly able to take control of AirAsia via a series of reinvestments, Hsu said, adding that the Ministry of National Defense (MND) should revoke the company’s bidding rights and the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ (MOEA) Investment Commission should launch an investigation into the matter.
Information related to crucial technology and maintenance manuals for fighter jets could be leaked to the Chinese and that is why the US has been reluctant to sell advanced weapons to Taiwan, Hsu said.
Hsiao Tien-liu (蕭天流), an official at the MND’s Armaments Bureau, said maintenance of core elements related to navigation, fire-control radars and electronic warfare was maintained exclusively by the military.
There has been no evidence that proves AirAsia had a military background or made investments with a military purpose, Hsiao said, adding that the company would be barred from bidding according to the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法) if wrongful motivation is confirmed.
Investment Commission Executive Director Chang Ming-ping (張銘彬) said the commission would launch an investigation within one month and submit its complete reports to the legislature.
Upon its completion next year, the new Tamkang Bridge (淡江大橋) in New Taipei City is to be an important landmark in Taiwan, alongside Taipei 101, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shi-kai (陳世凱) said today. The bridge is scheduled to be completed in December next year and open to the public in the first half of 2026, connecting New Taipei City’s Tamsui (淡水) and Bali (八里) districts. It is an asymmetric single-tower suspension bridge, nearly 70 stories tall, designed by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. The bridge aims to alleviate traffic in Tamsui and on the Guandu Bridge (關渡大橋), in addition to increasing the
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: As some roads would be fully or partially closed, people are advised to take the MRT, with services expanded to accommodate more riders This year’s Taipei Marathon, which has obtained its first gold label certification from World Athletics, is to be held from 5am to 1pm tomorrow and would have 28,000 participants. The race is to start from the Taipei City Plaza and would go through major roads throughout the city, with traffic control implemented from 6am to 2pm, officials said. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system and New Taipei City MRT Circle line would start operating at 5am on the day of the race, they said. The race would cover Renai Road, Xinyi Road, Hangzhou S Road, Aiguo east and west roads,
EXERCISES: A 2022 article by a Chinese intelligence expert identified at least six People’s Liberation Army assault boats hidden inside the Hong Kong-flagged ship A Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship that had been docked at Taichung Port and which previously took part in Chinese military exercises departed from the port on Saturday, the Taiwan International Ports Corp’s Taichung branch said yesterday. The statement came in response to a post on the social media platform X by Taiwan-based journalist Chris Horton that said the ship, the SCSC Fortune, had been docked at the port since Tuesday and questioned whether Taiwan has any rules regarding foreign civilian vessels that have participated in People’s Liberation Army (PLA) exercises. Horton referenced a 2022 article by Chinese intelligence expert Rod Lee that
PROBLEMATIC: Popular hotpot restaurant chains were among the list of restaurants that failed the inspection and have been ordered to remove bad ingredients The Taipei Department of Health’s latest inspection of hotpot ingredients in hotpot restaurants resulted in a 16.7 percent failure rate. Eight vegetables had excessive pesticide residue and two other items had aflatoxin and excessive preservatives. As the weather is getting colder, more people eat at hotpot restaurants so a random inspection of ingredients was conducted in October to ensure food safety, the department said. Food and Drug Division Director Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁) said 60 different ingredients were tested: 15 high-risk vegetables, 15 processed food items, 10 soy-based food items, five meat items, five lamb items, five seafood items and five peanut powder
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