Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Monday told US defense industry officials that under a DPP administration, Taiwan’s indigenous defense industry would expand and deepen.
He said that, as a result of DPP encouragement, there were an unprecedented number of senior executives from Taiwan’s industries — 30 from 19 different companies — attending the 14th annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia.
“They are the team representing a national determination to defend our nation and represent our vision to move our defense forward,” he told the conference.
Wu said the industrialists were from the aviation, shipbuilding and cybersecurity sectors.
He said that some defense items were politically sensitive and difficult for the US to sell and thus, “we would like to have the confidence of producing them in Taiwan with the necessary assistance and support of the US.”
Wu urged Taiwanese companies and the US to discuss in side meetings and “learn how we can find good business opportunities together.”
He said China’s growing military might looms over the Taiwan Strait.
“We do not want to see regional tension evolve into military conflict, we do not want Taiwan to be engulfed in military conflict should it occur and we certainly do not want our vulnerability to attract aggression,” Wu said.
He said Taiwan’s capability or vulnerability deserved a deeper look.
“Even though the cross-strait policies pursued by the current Taiwanese administration are said to have reduced tensions with China, the threat is nonetheless increasing,” Wu said.
He said that with less investment in defense and an unsuccessful attempt to change the recruitment system, Taiwan is more vulnerable than ever.
“The best way for Taiwan to prevent a war from being initiated against it would be for us to acquire credible deterrent capabilities,” Wu said. “We want to strengthen ourselves militarily to maintain cross-strait peace, and if a conflict were unfortunately to take place, we would have the necessary means to survive.”
Wu said that if the DPP returns to power in next year’s Jan. 16 presidential election, it plans to improve the nation’s naval, airborne and cyberdefense capabilities.
If the US will not sell needed weapons, Wu said, “going indigenous is the only meaningful alternative.”
However, Taiwan has an edge in the cyberdomain, which is not being properly and seriously used by the defense establishment.
Wu said that DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) had presided over a series of intense discussions aimed at preparing the future of Taiwan’s defense industry.
He said that he was more confident than ever that Taiwan could count on its indigenous industry.
Wu added that he was particularly excited about Taiwan’s potential in cyberdefense.
Senior executives from cybersecurity firm Trend Micro have met with DPP military experts and plan to upgrade some products for military use, Wu said.
Wu said that Taiwanese talent could be relied upon for the nation’s cyberdefense.
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
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said it is fully aware of the situation following reports that the son of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai (薄熙來) has arrived in Taiwan and is to marry a Taiwanese. Local media reported that Bo Guagua (薄瓜瓜), son of the former member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is to marry the granddaughter of Luodong Poh-Ai Hospital founder Hsu Wen-cheng (許文政). The pair met when studying abroad and arranged to get married this year, with the wedding breakfast to be held at The One holiday resort in Hsinchu
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon this morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan between Friday and Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The storm, which as of 8am was still 1,100km southeast of southern Taiwan, is currently expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, the CWA said. Because of its rapid speed — 28kph as of 8am — a sea warning for the storm could be issued tonight, rather than tomorrow, as previously forecast, the CWA said. In terms of its impact, Usagi is to bring scattered or
An orange gas cloud that leaked from a waste management plant yesterday morning in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) was likely caused by acidic waste, authorities said, adding that it posed no immediate harm. The leak occurred at a plant in the district’s Environmental Science and Technology Park at about 7am, the Taoyuan Fire Department said. Firefighters discovered a cloud of unidentified orange gas leaking from a waste tank when they arrived on the site, it said, adding that they put on Level A chemical protection before entering the building. After finding there was no continuous leak, the department worked with the city’s Department
RSS