President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉), an advisor to the National Security Council (NSC), as vice defense minister, the Presidential Office announced today.
In a statement, the office said Hsu previously served as deputy minister of foreign affairs from 2018 to 2020 and deputy secretary-general of the NSC from 2020 to this year.
Photo: Taipei Times
Lai wanted to draw on Hsu's extensive expertise and experience in national security and international affairs to help Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) inject new energy into the military, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said.
He expects Hsu to apply his international perspective and strategic expertise to help Koo drive defense reforms, advance defense initiatives, strengthen alliances and ensure national security, Kuo said.
Hsu has supported the defense ministry in engaging in military exchanges and cooperation with international allies, often leading delegations in key bilateral forums with the US and working closely with US political and military officials, she said.
During his tenure as deputy foreign minister, Hsu also served on the board of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, providing guidance on policy research, she said.
In addition, he has attended major international security forums, including the Berlin Security Conference, Halifax International Security Forum, Raisina Dialogue and Warsaw Security Forum, Kuo said.
The Presidential Office did not say why Lai has appointed a new vice defense minister.
According to various local media reports, Hsu is expected to fill Vice Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei's (柏鴻輝) position after he retires at the end of this month.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
RSS