Comments made by former navy lieutenant commander Lu Li-shih (呂禮詩) on Tuesday at the opening of China’s Zhuhai Airshow demonstrated that the nation’s military cannot tell friend from foe, which could undermine partners’ trust in Taiwan and future arms deals, academics said yesterday.
In an interview with Chinese media at the event, Lu said the airshow demonstrated that “our China” has become powerful.
“I have stressed over and over on Taiwan’s shows … and I want to share the truth with the people, the Taiwanese audience, how strong our China has become,” he said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
National Taiwan University Department of Political Science associate professor Chen Shih-min (陳世民) said that despite being a retired military serviceman and aware that China is the most significant military threat to Taiwan, Lu engaged in “hyperbolic” commentary, exaggerating China’s military prowess.
Chinese officials have been consistent in defining the Taiwan issue as a continuation of the Chinese Civil War and expressing their wish to “terminate hostile relations,” Chen said.
In contrast, Taiwan has abolished the Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion (動員戡亂時期臨時條款) and has not mentioned the concept of retaking China since the 1990s, Chen said.
Lu can state that he recognizes himself as Chinese and not Taiwanese, but as the recipient of a pension from Taiwan, his remark is an act of betrayal, Chen said.
Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said the problem with Lu’s comments was not that he considered the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) to be advanced, but that he identified as Chinese and was supportive of the PLA.
Such comments show a complete failure of Taiwan’s national defense education and a lack of distinction between friend and foe, he said.
Referring to past incidents in which some retired generals stated that “Taiwan’s military and the PLA are China’s army,” Chen Li-fu said that retired mid-level military officers making similar comments highlights a severe national security crisis.
Taiwan relies on US arms sales to ensure that its defense capabilities do not lag too far behind that of China, Chen Li-fu said, adding that the government must ensure that soldiers operating that equipment know who they are fighting for.
The US would never sell high-end military equipment to a country that is a potential security liability, he added.
Without a complete overhaul of psychological and political warfare, and education, Taiwan would not be capable of defending itself, regardless of the amount of its defense budget and even if the incoming administration of US president-elect Donald Trump is willing to sell the nation F-35 jets, he said.
It is a fact that the Zhuhai Airshow reflects advances in the PLA’s capability, but the technologies featured at the shows are one to two generations behind the West due to chip restrictions, Institute for National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said.
The actual capabilities of the PLA equipment in combat are yet to be observed, he added.
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