New Frontier Foundation deputy chief executive officer Enoch Wu (吳怡農) yesterday sought to clarify his comments about the military following a fatal incident that killed two marines on Friday.
While everyone is in a different position, they share the hope the nation’s military can improve, Wu said, adding that facing the problem is the first step.
Wu on Monday posted on Facebook that the annual Han Kuang exercises were “just a show,” an annual performance by the military.
Photo: CNA
The navy yesterday said that while it respected Wu’s comments, Taiwan has several outlying islands that must be reinforced by sea or air in the event of a threat, which means its amphibious capabilities cannot be neglected.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Wu’s comments were not fair, adding that everyone should cheer for the military right now, as it is the nation’s most important protector.
Wu yesterday said that he believes everyone’s position is the same, be it the Ministry of National Defense or the president: Everyone wants the military to be better and have more resources.
In the face of increasing threats to national defense over the past 20 years, improving defense policy is not just the government’s job, it requires consensus and determination from all of society, Wu said.
People appreciate the contributions of the soldiers, and hope that the military will have more resources to fulfill its duties, he said.
There must be a balance between publicity, performance, training and exercise, he said, urging people to discuss how resources should be allocated.
Hopefully, his comments would spur public discussion, Wu added.
As for whether he believed the military had not struck a fair balance, Wu said that he believes everyone feels the same, and no one wants to see people getting injured or making “sacrifices.”
Raising issues to reflect upon is often an awkward process, but one that must be done, because of the significant challenges Taiwan faces, he said, adding that calm and objective discussion can help improve the military, military exercises and the way things are done.
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