Beijing has never given up on the potential of uniting Taiwan with China by force and its national defense funding continues to grow yearly, Minister of National Defense Kao Kuang-chi (高廣圻) said in a report to be submitted to the Legislative Yuan.
Reporting on the development of cross-strait affairs, Kao said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has continued to modernize its military as well as reinforce its combat capability against Taiwan by improving its military command structure, replacing outdated equipment and stepping up training for its armed forces.
The report came in light of recent cross-strait talks over the M503 flight path — which runs along the middle of the Taiwan Strait, with feeder routes to China labeled W121, W122 and W123 — arbitrarily announced by China in January. Taiwanese officials said that the path could affect security for flights to Kinmen County and Lienchiang County.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and Navy have also begun air and sea drills in the western Pacific to familiarize its forces with anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategies, Kao said.
All of this is evidence that Beijing has not given up the thought of unification through force, Kao said.
The Ministry of National Defense is monitoring the Taiwan Strait and the actions of the PLA, Kao said, adding that the ministry would also keep apprised of international territorial affairs.
Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) said that at last count, the CCP controlled seven known shoals and islands in the Spratly Islands, known in Taiwan as the Nansha Islands (南沙群島).
The largest of the seven — Fiery Cross Reef (Yongshu Reef, 永暑島) — is at least three times larger than Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島), the largest naturally occurring islands in the Spratly group after being made five times larger by landfills, Lin said.
With the island now 2,000m long, it is considered eligible for the construction of an airfield, Lin said.
Though Vietnam has not used landfill methods to enlarge the Sandy Cay (Duncian Shajou, 敦謙沙洲) and Namyit Island (Hongsiou Island, 鴻庥島), 6 and 12 nautical miles (11km to 22km) from Itu Aba Island respectively, there are signs of the Vietnamese government increasing their artillery deployed on both islands, Lin said.
However, the Vietnamese military is reclaiming land and expanding Sin Cowe Island (Jinghong Island 景宏島) — 30 nautical miles from Itu Aba Island — which is now roughly the size of 130 basketball courts, Lin said, adding that there was a possibility that Vietnam would begin constructing piers capable of berthing large ships.
Vietnam is posing a considerable threat to Taiwan’s lone garrison in the South China Sea, Lin said.
Construction of piers on Itu Aba Island is scheduled to be finished by the end of this year and would offer berthing of frigate-class ships of up to 3,000 tonnes, Lin said.
With both the CCP and Vietnam stepping up the scale of their military bases in the region, the need to extend the Itu Aba Island airstrip is becoming more urgent, Lin said, calling on the ministry to begin the extension as soon as the piers have been finished.
Lin also said the ministry should consider moving regular troops onto the island to oversee its defenses. The nation pulled marines from the island and turned over garrison duty to the Coast Guard Administration in 2000.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old