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.
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
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
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
RSS