The military is to conduct drills next week to prevent China sabotaging the nation’s submarine cables, a defense official said yesterday.
The anonymous source with knowledge of the matter made the comment after a Chinese cargo ship flying the flag of another nation was last month detained on suspicion of severing a cable between Taiwan proper and Penghu County.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) on Monday last week told reporters that Beijing might use military exercises to disguise a military buildup before an invasion attempt.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
The armed forces would hold “immediate combat readiness exercises” in response to ceaseless “gray zone” harassment and to counter any threat posed by Chinese vessels, he said.
The military is to scale its reaction to match the perceived threat level of China’s activities, he said.
The armed forces are preparing to launch their first-ever immediate combat readiness exercise starting on Monday next week, the anonymous source said.
The armed forces would be put on high alert through the five-day drills, and the comprehensive exercise was planned as a warm-up for this year’s annual Han Kuang exercises, they said.
All parts of the military — including units not currently deployed in a defensive capacity — would take part in the exercise, they said.
This year’s Han Kuang exercises are to be the longest in the nation’s history.
The computer simulations would last 14 days, while the field exercise would take 10 consecutive days, it said.
“Gray zone” warfare and in-depth defense in a conflict would be featured in the scenarios, it said.
Separately, Air Force Commander Lieutenant Cheng Jung-feng (鄭榮豐) might later this month attend a ceremony in the US for the handover of the first of the nation’s long-awaited modernized F-16 jets, a source said.
The first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70 jets Taiwan purchased could be certified for delivery in the coming weeks at the earliest, an official with knowledge of the matter said on condition of anonymity.
Cheng is expected to attend the handover ceremony, they said.
The air force confirmed that one of its personnel would visit the US for the jet’s handover, without elaborating further.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS