The nation’s military outpost on the disputed Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) in the South China Sea is being threatened by the latest deployment of mobile missiles and artillery guns on nearby islands held by China and Vietnam, according to a new report submitted to the Control Yuan.
The Ministry of National Defense report pointed to the increased buildup of troops and weapons by China and Vietnam on their island bases near the military outpost on Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島).
Of particular concern are the moves by Vietnam to enhance its troop presence with more sophisticated weapons on Sand Cay — known as Dunqian Sand Island (敦謙沙洲) in Chinese and Son Ca Island to the Vietnamese — which lies just 11km east of Itu Aba Island.
The report said that Vietnam has deployed an unspecified amount of new shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to its expanded marine base on Sand Cay in the past year.
“The effective range of the Vietnamese shoulder-fired missiles is about 1.5km. However, Vietnam may plan to deploy these portable missiles to reef islets closer to Taiping Island or might carry them on patrol boats to within striking range. In such a scenario, our military transport aircraft heading to Taiping Island would be directly threatened,” the report said.
It also provided surveillance information showing that Vietnam has begun work to artificially expand Sand Cay Island and to build military installations.
Meanwhile, China has reclaimed major tracts of land and constructed military installations on five reef and shoal locations claimed by China in the Spratlys since last year.
The Chinese construction operations in the Spratlys are on Cuarteron Reef (Huayang, 華陽), Gaven Reef (Nansyun, 南薰) and Fiery Cross Reef (Yongshu Reef, 永暑礁), which are also claimed by Taiwan, as well as Union Reef North and Union Reef South.
To counter the threats posed by China and Vietnam in the South China Sea, legislators had requested the deployment of a marine force, instead of coast guard units, to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands 東沙群島) and the Spratlys.
Legislators said that the ministry has acted in a contradictory fashion, being outspoken about the increasing number of threats faced by the Itu Aba Island military outpost while continuously dismissing calls to deploy marines and declining requests to have warships permanently stationed on Taiwan’s island outposts.
The report was part of the Control Yuan’s special investigation into the current regional security situation in East Asia.
The report recommended that the government boost its defenses in the South China Sea, given that China, Vietnam and the Philippines have all built up military installations and deployed new weapons on 12 islands and shoals around Itu Aba Island.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with
Taiwan-based publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) has been sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said today. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Feb. 17, Chen said. The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since come into legal effect. The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have