China’s medium and long-range ballistic missiles might be targeting other nations, but they are still a threat to Taiwan, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said yesterday.
“Although China’s medium and long-range ballistic missiles are aimed at other countries, they still pose a threat to Taiwan. We hope Taiwanese understand this, even if China’s short-range missiles are the biggest threat to Taiwan,” Lo said after a ministry news briefing.
Lo was responding to an 8,000-word report published on Monday by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Daily detailing the strategic missile forces under China’s Second Artillery Corps.
He described the report as an attempt to intimidate Taiwanese psychologically.
“This was not conducive to cross-strait harmony and will even provoke resentment among people in Taiwan,” he said.
To counter the Chinese military, the ministry has in recent years tried to establish a comprehensive anti-ballistic-missile defense system to better protect national security, Lo said.
In response to a question about a Defense News report that the navy is planning to replace its ageing fleet of MD 500 helicopters with Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission aircraft,
Lo said the navy needs to buy next-generation anti-submarine helicopters to meet its needs.
At the moment, the MH-60R is not the only option for the navy. It is conducting an across-the-board assessment before identifying a specific anti-submarine helicopter that best serves its interests and combat needs, Lo said.
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