Taiwanese military officials are to attend a security exchange program in Belgium and Germany next year, the Ministry of National Defense’s annual budget for fiscal year 2021 shows.
Military officials are expected to visit the legislative bodies and defense ministries of the countries during the exchange, and meet with officials and academics, the budget report says.
The report, which was last week submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review, says that six ministry representatives are to visit Belgium and Germany to attend the eight-day program, which would cost the ministry an estimated NT$1.03 million (US$34,909).
The funds are listed in the budget as part of the ministry’s strategic planning expenses.
The exchange is expected to bolster relations with the two European countries, and create opportunities for cooperation and further exchanges, the report says.
This is the first time in six years that the ministry has named in its budget report specific countries, other than the US, with which it would conduct exchanges.
Taiwan’s military is familiar with the threat presented by China, which creates an opportunity for deepening exchanges with European countries and the ministry expects the number of exchanges to increase, a source said on Sunday.
Unlike other government agencies, the ministry confirms its budgetary needs before publishing a report and the reported plans are unlikely to change, the source said.
That means the ministry has communicated with Germany and Belgium about the exchange program, they said.
The budget proposal shows that Taiwanese defense officials would also visit the US next year to discuss closer cooperation in the development of strategic capabilities with the Pentagon.
Three defense officials would visit the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office to discuss ideas and address potential threats, says the budget proposal says.
The office is under the US Department of Defense and is tasked with developing innovative ways to counter emerging threats across all domains, the Pentagon said.
The visit was originally planned for this year, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A plan by the ministry to invite serving and retired officers from US Special Forces and Army Special Operations Aviation units to assess Taiwan’s military drills this year was postponed for the same reason.
An exhibition demonstrating the rejuvenation of the indigenous Kuskus Village in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹) opened at the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s conservation station in Taipei on Thursday. Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said they have been promoting the use and development of forestry resources to local indigenous residents for eight years to drive regional revitalization. While modern conservation approaches mostly stem from western scientific research, eco-friendly knowledge and skills passed down through generations of indigenous people, who have lived in Taiwan for centuries, could be more suitable for the environment, he said. The agency’s Pingtung branch Director-General Yang Jui-fen (楊瑞芬)
Restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to be included in the Michelin Guide’s review for the first time this year, alongside existing entries from Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, the France-based culinary publication said yesterday. This year’s edition of the Michelin Guide Taiwan is to be unveiled on Aug. 19 in Taipei. In addition to the coveted star ratings, Michelin Taiwan would announce its “Bib Gourmand” selections — a distinction awarded to establishments offering high-quality food at moderate prices — on Aug. 12. This year’s Bib Gourmand list would also feature restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu
A firefighter yesterday died after falling into New Taipei City's Xindian River when a rescue dinghy capsized during a search mission for a man who was later found dead. The New Taipei City Fire Department said that it received a report at 4:12pm that a 50-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), had fallen into the river. A 32-year-old firefighter, surnamed Wu (吳), was among the rescuers deployed to look for Chen, the fire department said, adding that he and five other rescue personnel were in the dinghy when it capsized. Wu had no vital signs after being pulled from the water to the
Academics have expressed mixed views on President William Lai’s (賴清德) nomination of High Prosecutors’ Office Chief Prosecutor Tsai Chiu-ming (蔡秋明) as a Constitutional Court justice and the head of the nation’s top judicial body. While prosecutors have served as justices at the Constitutional Court over the years, including Judy Ju (朱富美), an incumbent, the appointment of a prosecutor as president of the Judicial Yuan, which presides over the Constitutional Court, would be unprecedented. Retired law professor Lin Teng-yao (林騰鷂) said that Tsai’s nomination was an “abuse” of power by Lai, and called on the legislature, in which the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
RSS