Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) yesterday said he has full confidence in the military’s counterespionage capabilities in response to a foreign media report that Chinese spies had infiltrated the nation’s military to steal defense technologies and plans.
“The nation’s armed forces have comprehensive protective measures in place to guard against Chinese espionage,” Chiu told reporters on the sidelines of a legislative session.
The military’s counterintelligence efforts include training to encourage military personnel to report initial contact with suspected spies and reward those who do so, Chiu said.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The Ministry of National Defense investigates reports of suspected espionage, he said, adding that the measures have proven successful over the years.
Chiu’s comments came after a Reuters special feature, published on Monday, described several espionage cases and “how Beijing allegedly sought out commanders in Taiwan’s military and induced them to become spies.”
Chinese officials were also able to “extract details of high-tech weapons and gain insights into defense planning” through personnel from Taiwan’s military over the past 10 years, the report said.
Citing a Reuters review of court records and reports from Taiwan’s official news agencies, the report said that in the past decade, at least 21 serving or retired Taiwanese officers with the rank of captain or above have been convicted of spying for China.
At least nine other serving or retired members of the armed forces are currently on trial or being investigated on suspicion of having had contact with spies from China, the report said.
The ministry on Tuesday said that no confidential military intelligence had been leaked in these cases, as all of the interactions had been detected in the early stages.
Chiu attended yesterday’s legislative session to brief lawmakers on the military’s response measures amid increasing military coercion from Beijing.
In his report, Chiu said Chinese People’s Liberation Army aircraft have made more than 940 incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone since January.
In response, Taiwan’s military has continued to bolster its defense capabilities and enhance its weapons’ range, precision and mobility, based on the nation’s asymmetrical warfare plan, the report said.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS