The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday used the occasion of its second anniversary celebration to publicize some of the law-enforcement and maritime search-and-rescue achievements it is most proud of.
The CGA, inaugurated on Jan. 28, 2000, said one of its most remarkable accomplishments over the past two years has been the discovery and seizure of NT$11.8 billion worth of smuggled goods, including cigarettes, liquor and oil, as well as agricultural and fishery products.
CGA Director Wang Chun (王郡) said another major accomplishment of the administration has been search-and-rescue missions for around 1,600 people reported missing or stranded in shipwrecks or sea disasters.
"This achievement is indeed something to be proud of. Unfortunately, we were unable to save all those we intended to. There is still much room for improvement. We have yet to upgrade our equipment," Wang said.
President Chen Shui-bian (
With the agency's current equipment, mainly ships, President Chen said the CGA is unable to "have all of Taiwan's territorial waters" under its control.
The president said he expected the CGA to develop "three-dimensional operational capabilities" to make up for its deficiency in surface vessels.
Chen made the remarks in a speech he delivered to the CGA leadership and its staff at the Taipei headquarters of the administration. The three-dimensional operation capabilities Chen mentioned refer mainly to an air arm that the CGA is to bring into service.
The air arm will become operational on Friday, Wang said.
It is basically a fleet of helicopters with search-and-rescue capabilities.
Because of budgetary constraints, the CGA will not own the helicopters. They will be chartered from a civil aviation company on a pay-per-flight basis.
The CGA declined to reveal any further details of the helicopter fleet, such as the number of aircraft involved.
Besides the soon-to-be-established air arm, Wang also announced that the administration will increase the number of fixed coastal radar sites from 45 to 78 over the next few years.
The new radar sites will be built by local firms that won the bidding for the project in December.
The new radar sites will be linked to satellites, an official with the CGA said. It is not known which country the satellites belong to.
The CGA was founded in February 2000 and combined the coast guard command of the military, the marine police under the National Police Administration and certain portions of the customs office under the Ministry of Finance.
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology