Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) yesterday called for an investigation into the manufacturing origin of batteries used in telecommunications networks at the nation’s main military radar and signal tracking stations, as the units are suspected of having come from China.
Chen accused the Ministry of National Defense of negligence in supervising and verifying materials supplied by contractors, as she said the batteries were made in China, which contravenes military procurement regulations forbidding technical equipment and materials that originate from China.
At a news conference in Taipei yesterday, she said that the batteries in question are the power source for the microwave communications system used for network links between radar and signal tracking stations, which are operated by the Information and Electronic Warfare Command (IEWC).
“These radar and signal tracking stations hold high-level classified military intelligence. The batteries and power storage units for launching missiles to defend our nation are also part of the same procurement program. How did the government allow a company using products made in China to win this procurement contract?” Chen asked.
“Is this due to negligence by officials who were not doing their job or is this another military scandal?” she ashed.
In response, the ministry released a statement yesterday denying the accusation, saying “after checking of all major military radar stations, and battery units at all IEWC procurement programs, it was found there were no products made in China.”
Ministry spokesperson Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said the procurement contract was won by Tangshifeng (唐士峰), a company based in Kaohsiung, which supplies batteries made in Italy.
Lo said that, as the oversight occurred during product labeling in the procurement, the IEWC has reviewed the matter with the officials responsible and the defense ministry would punish those found to have violated procurement stipulations.
However, whistle-blower Hsu Shun-jen (徐順仁), who spoke at Chen’s press conference yesterday, alleged that “the batteries came from an Italian manufacturer which has a plant in Wuhan, China.”
“I reported the matter to the Executive Yuan’s Public Construction Commission and the ministry’s Ethics Department, but they told me that if the products were transported through Singapore they would be regarded as having come from Singapore,” Hsu said. “The procurement was finalized last year. At that time, the company with the leading tender offer told government officials that they would supply batteries made in China, so the defense ministry knew about the manufacturing origin of the units and allowed the company to win the contract.”
Hsu said that, even after he reported the case, IEWC procurement officials did not halt the process, but instead worked with Tangshifeng to change product origin labeling as first having come from Singapore and then to Italy, which he suspected was due to IEWC officials colluding with the company for mutual financial benefit.
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