Minister of National Defense Tang Yao-ming (
"Within 10 years, we expect to have the capabilities to effectively defend against China's ballistic missiles," Tang said.
Tang made the announcement yesterday at the first press conference he has called this year.
PHOTO: AFP
Tang did not go into detail about the missile defense system (MDS) that the military is developing.
But it was the first time that Tang made public a timetable for the development of the MDS, which had aroused much speculation from the press.
At the press conference, Tang talked about how the development of the MDS could counter China's development of ballistic missiles.
"Over the past one year, China has launched a total of 11 missile tests. It is actively developing missiles with a range of 6,000km, 8,000km, and 12,000km. The move clearly reflects China's ambitions," Tang said.
To counter missile threats from China, Tang said, "The military has set up a task force to plan for the establishment of a comprehensive missile defense system."
Tang refused to confirm whether the MDS will have anything to do with the theater missile defense system that the US plans to build in East Asia.
The development of MDS will be divided into three stages, defense sources said.
At the first stage, the military will build and deploy land-based missile interceptors and sensors (mainly radar) across the country.
The Patriot PAC-III missile defense system and a long-range radar are to be the key elements of the MDS at this stage.
The second stage will extend the deployment of missile interceptors and sensors to the sea.
The Kidd-class destroyers are to be the platform for the interceptors and sensors.
At the final stage, the military will seek to acquire airborne missile interceptors and sensors. This stage will be more difficult than the previous two.
The MDS, if built according to schedule, is expected to start operating within 10 years.
Costs for the MDS are estimated to be hundreds of billions of NT dollars, which would be a great financial burden to the military.
Vice commander-in-chief of the air force Lieutenant General Fu Wei-ku (
The cheaper option, Fu said, is to develop offensive capabilities similar to the ones China is employing against Taiwan.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS