The navy’s “Friendship Flotilla,” which reported a COVID-19 cluster infection after returning from a visit to Palau last month, sailed in the South China Sea near Singapore, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday, amid speculation that it was engaged in a “confidential mission.”
After drawing heated criticism for providing inconsistent information about the infection cluster onboard the supply ship Panshih (磐石), one of the three vessels making up the flotilla, the ministry said it would hold a daily news conference to clarify related problems.
A total of 29 cases have been confirmed among Panshih crew members, while the source of infection is still being investigated.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The flotilla at one point was sailing in an area near the equator — with the coordinates of 0° north latitude and 106° east longitude, the ministry said, without revealing the content of the confidential mission.
Such information sparked speculation that the area was where the navy conducted the so-called “confidential mission” — which it previously said was part of the purpose of the voyage — amid public queries on why the navy had set sail after the WHO had already declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
Navy Commander Admiral Liu Chih-pin (劉志斌) yesterday made his first public appearance on a military-related TV show since the controversy erupted, apologizing for arousing public concern.
Photo: CNA
While thanking front-line medical staff for their contributions, Liu called on military personnel and the public to pray for the naval personnel infected with the coronavirus.
As the commander, Liu said he takes full responsibility for the incident, and pledged to carry the navy through such a difficult time, restore society’s trust in the military, and defend the pride and confidence of soldiers.
Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa’s (嚴德發) decision to transfer Rear Admiral Chen Tao-hui (陳道輝) and Vice Admiral Kao Chia-pin (高嘉濱) — the captain and commander respectively of the flotilla — to different posts following the release of the initial investigation reports demonstrated the navy’s responsible attitude, he said.
The enemy of Taiwan, which is the Chinese Communist Party, is disseminating propaganda that the Taiwanese military has suffered a severe blow, in an attempt to undermine the military’s morale and combat readiness, he said.
However, Taiwan, in the face of the enemy’s threats, is resolved to maintain the highest alert, with all combat operations remaining normal to ensure optimal national defense, he said.
The military will neither shrink back nor lose hope, despite the setback, Liu said, urging the public to remove their doubts about the military’s capabilities.
In related news, the ministry released a surveillance photograph it took of a Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, as it monitored the passage of a Chinese carrier battle group in waters south of Taiwan on Wednesday.
The black-and-white photograph shows an aerial view of the Liaoning, but the ministry did not say where or when the photograph was taken, other than that it was taken by the air force.
The ministry has been closely monitoring the battle group, including the dispatch of eight navy vessels, but nothing out of the ordinary was observed, it said.
This is the second time this month the aircraft carrier battle group was seen operating in waters near Taiwan.
Additional reporting by Aaron Tu
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
RSS