The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today delivered its Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) to lawmakers, highlighting the nation’s defense strategy and elaborating on the role of US military cooperation.
As per Article 31 of the National Defense Act (國防法), the ministry must publicly submit the QDR to the Legislative Yuan within 10 months of a presidential inauguration.
The Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee invited Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to deliver the review and answer questions from lawmakers.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The previous QDR in 2021 focused on strong defenses and multi-layered deterrence, which remained unchanged in this iteration.
The strategy would take advantage of Taiwan’s terrain to develop military preparation around the principles of “adaptability, agility, lethality, cost-effectiveness and stealth,” the latest QDR said.
The nation would build combat capability across land, sea and air, in addition to cyber, to deter aggression, the QDR said.
In wartime, the ministry would rapidly mobilize, enact multiple layers of defense and lean on military-civilian integration to delay enemy actions, weaken any invading forces and force a retreat, it said.
Future budget increases would focus on enhancing asymmetric capabilities and strengthening counters to “gray zone” threats, the QDR said.
To bring the total defense budget to President William Lai’s (賴清德) target of more than 3 percent of GDP, the MND would prioritize a special defense budget, it added.
Unlike the previous QDR in 2021, the latest review included a separate chapter dedicated to “linking regionally to strengthen collective deterrence,” with the chapter’s first section dedicated to “deepening military exchanges between Taiwan and the US.”
The US is an important strategic partner, engages in close military exchanges and assists the nation in developing its self-defense capabilities, it said.
The ministry would continue to promote strategic cooperation with the US to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, it added.
As for future cooperation plans, the ministry would expand and deepen cooperation in strategic national security dialogues and visits, joint military exercises, defense industry cooperation and intelligence sharing, it said.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS