The latest US report on the imbalance in military capabilities across the Taiwan Strait raises further questions about President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) determination to defend Taiwan and his capability as commander-in-chief, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers said yesterday.
A US Department of Defense report released on Monday, titled Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China, briefly criticized Taiwan’s defense spending, which is now approximately 2 percent of GDP — below Ma’s pledge of 3 percent, and its transition to voluntary military service.
The legislators told a press conference that Ma “has mistakenly claimed that cross-strait relations are at their best in six decades,” adding that this was the basis for the weakened foreign and defense policy.
Photo: CNA
DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said the ratio of conscripted soldiers and voluntary soldiers was 47.5 to 52.5 in 2007 when the DPP was in power, but the ratio has dropped dramatically since then and is now 37 to 63.
“While Ma pledged the implementation of a volunteer system, the ratio has not improved since he took office,” Chen said.
Ma was diverting funds from weapons acquisition programs and using them for salaries and benefits, adding that military investment accounted for 35.94 percent of the total defense budget in 2008, a ratio that has dropped to 25.89 percent this year, she said.
“We support a volunteer military, but it is absolutely wrong to divert the weapon procurement budget to personnel salaries,” she said.
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday responded to the US report, saying it could not afford to reduce its vigilance.
Ministry spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said that despite eased cross-strait tensions, it was evident that China had not abandoned the idea of invading Taiwan and had continued to modernize its military and to deploy missiles.
In face of China’s growing clout and increasing military budget, the military needs to strengthen itself to maintain continued peace in the Taiwan Strait, Lo said. The military must be practical and establish an elite armed force that, while reduced in size, loses none of its potency and ability, he said
In essence, the military needed to give an enemy sufficient reason to be wary of hostile intentions though innovative and asymmetric strategies, Lo said.
He said the ministry was aware of the nation’s tightened finances and had sought to reduce its expenditures. Within reasonable budget limitations, continued investment in military technology is expected, Lo said.
The change from conscription to a voluntary service is a major transition for the military, and in the short term, the proportion of the military’s budget for personnel would increase to help facilitate the changeover, Lo said.
People can take the Taipei MRT free of charge if they access it at Nanjing Sanmin Station or Taipei Arena Station on the Green Line between 12am and 6am on Jan. 1, the Taipei Department of Transportation said on Friday, outlining its plans to ease crowding during New Year’s events in the capital. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve events in Taipei, with singer A-mei (張惠妹) performing at the Taipei Dome and the city government’s New Year’s Eve party at Taipei City Hall Plaza, the department said. As people have tended to use the MRT’s Blue or
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
RSS