President Chen Shui-bian (
Accompanied by military leadership, Chen toured the major facilities of the vast Chiashan base, which sits in a hollowed-out mountain not far away from the Pacific Ocean.
The Chiashan base, which took roughly eight years and more than NT$27 billion to build, was one of the military's largest engineering projects in recent decades. Its construction spanned from 1985 to 1993. The base reportedly is able to accommodate roughly 200 fighter planes. It was designed to preserve the combat strength of the air force in the event of a first strike by the enemy.
Chen visited the base's strategic command center and the giant tunnels that allow fighters to taxi and park, according to a defense official who participated in the trip.
Impressed by what he saw, Chen said in a later speech to military leaders that the eastern parts of the island will play a key role in the defense of the country in the future, the official said.
The security of the eastern part of the island will greatly affect the defense of the whole country and the offshore Penghu islands. The most important task in the enhancement of the security of the region is to combine military and civilian resources, the official quoted Chen as saying.
In addition to the Chiashan base, Chen also inspected neighboring military establishments, including the 401st fighter wing of the air force and the navy's aviation command center.
The 401st fighter wing is comprised solely of US-made F-16s. Only one squadron of the wing has been established, while the remaining two squadrons are still awaiting to be inaugurated.
The wing's primary role is to protect the Chiashan base, as well as important military assets in the eastern parts of the island.
The wing is located next to the Chiashan base, capable of scrambling planes in the shortest amount of time possible.
The navy's aviation command center, also located in the vicinity, is home to the navy's anti-submarine helicopters and aircraft such as the S-2T.
As was the case during his previous inspection trips to military establishments, Chen had lunch with the base's staff officers before flying back to Taipei.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS