President William Lai (賴清德) is expected to announce a new advanced “all-domain” air defense system to better defend against China when he gives his keynote national day speech today, four sources familiar with the matter said.
Taiwan is ramping up defense spending and modernizing its armed forces, but faces a China that has a far larger military and is adding its own advanced new weapons such as stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles.
Lai is expected to announce the air defense system dubbed “Taiwan Dome” in his speech this morning, one of the sources said.
Photo: Reuters
The system is to integrate domestically produced and foreign equipment, utilizing smart technology for “comprehensive system integration,” the source said.
It would help address increasingly complex threats, such as dealing with a combination of drones, rockets, missiles and military aircraft, the source said.
Just like in Israel, whose Iron Dome network of missile defenses has been employed against attacks from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran, Taiwanese society can operate more “resiliently and normally” with the new system, the first source added.
Plans for the new system are currently being drafted and “initial integration” would start soon, the source went on to say, without elaboration.
All four sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.
The Presidential Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A separate source, not connected with the information about the new defense system, said that Lai’s speech would talk about increasing defense spending and strengthening social resilience, to protect peace through strength and demonstrate determination to safeguard Taiwan with concrete actions.
That involves building a strong line of defense for freedom and democracy, Lai is to say, the official said.
Lai would also say he is to “responsibly maintain the 'status quo' of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the official added.
China staged a day of war games around Taiwan last year shortly after Lai’s National Day speech in what it said was a warning to “separatist acts,” and Taiwan is tracking Chinese activities for any early warning signs of a repeat of last year’s drills.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs when asked yesterday if there would be wargames in response to Lai’s speech said that China would “firmly defend national sovereignty, reunification and territorial integrity.”
It did not elaborate.
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