China lacks the ability to “fully” invade Taiwan as it does not have the equipment, but is bringing online advanced new weapons and has other options to threaten Taiwan, such as inspecting foreign cargo ships, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday.
In an annual threat assessment of China sent to lawmakers, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, the ministry said Beijing continues to hone skills such as joint command operations.
“However, the use of tactics and strategies against Taiwan is still limited by the natural geographical environment of the Taiwan Strait and insufficient landing equipment and logistic capabilities,” it said.
Photo: RITCHIE B. TONGO, EPA-EFE
China “does not yet fully possess the formal combat capabilities for a comprehensive invasion of Taiwan,” it added.
However, China is speeding up development of a slew of new weapons, such as the H-20 bomber and hypersonic missiles, beefing up the number of nuclear warheads and trialing new tactics, the ministry said.
The report said that in May, when China staged war games around Taiwan shortly after President William’s Lai (賴清德) inauguration, China Coast Guard ships were sent for the first time on interception and inspection drills off the east coast.
China’s aim with the drills was to practice cutting off communication with the outside world and blockade Taiwan, and boarding foreign cargo ships is an option China could take, short of open conflict, the ministry said.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At a regular news briefing in Beijing on Thursday, the Chinese ministry said that as long as the Democratic Progressive Party “engages in ‘Taiwan independence’ [efforts], there will be no peace.”
“The more they provoke, the faster they will perish,” Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian (吳謙) told reporters.
Taiwan’s proposed defense spending is to rise faster than expected economic growth next year, as Taipei builds more missiles, submarines and other weapons to deter China.
“Peace achieved by strength is true peace,” Lai told officers at the defense ministry yesterday. “We will continue to improve our self-defense capabilities and show the world that we are united as a nation and are determined to protect our country.”
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
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