Critics have lashed out at President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) over comments he made about bolstering the nation’s combat abilities, saying that he has slashed military budgets, which have fallen below his election promise of at least 3 percent of GDP.
Ma on Wednesday touted improved defense capabilities, urging Taiwanese to be vigilant against the potential breakout of hostilities because China has not renounced its use of force against the nation.
However, one military expert said Ma is playing charades in an attempt to deceive the public once again.
Since the beginning of his presidency, the military budget has seen a downward trend, falling below 2.5 percent of GDP, said the expert, who declined to be named.
Data and reports from Office of the President and the National Development Council show that in 2009 — the first full year of Ma’s administration — the military budget was 3 percent of GDP, but dropped to 2.98 percent in 2010, the defense expert said.
It was slashed to 2.69 percent of GDP in 2011, then steadied at 2.7 percent in 2012 and 2013, before dropping to 2.48 percent last year, the expert said.
The expert said Ma had not fulfilled his election promise to hold the military budget at 3 percent of GDP.
There is a serious credibility gap there, because Ma has continued talking publicly, including in international dealings, about the military threat posed by China, the expert added.
The Ministry of National Defense said in a press release that if the Executive Yuan agrees to major arms procurements in the future, the government can allocate secondary reserve funds or utilize special program funds to help achieve military plans and policies.
The statement said that the military budget is not at 3 percent of GDP, adding however that the nation is ready and able to defend itself amid troop readjustment programs.
“The military will proactively improve the defense and combat capabilities of the nation’s troops and will submit requests for sufficient funding,” the statement said. “The military seeks the support of all Taiwanese, so together we can ensure the nation’s security.”
Ma was inspecting computer-assisted war games on Wednesday at the ministry command center in Taipei, where the simulated military exercises, which began on Monday, are to conclude today.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese