American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen yesterday visited Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung, where he delivered a speech on US-Taiwan relations in the realm of defense and security.
As part of its year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of the US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the AIT assigned a theme to each month of the year to highlight aspects of the bilateral partnership, and this month is Security Cooperation Month.
Christensen’s visit to the base, where he toured a US Kidd-class destroyer that had been turned into a Keelung-class destroyer and saw some of the amphibious vehicles bought from the US in 2006, was one of the events scheduled to highlight Security Cooperation Month.
Photo: Screengrab from AIT’s Facebook
In a series of Facebook posts about the visit, the AIT said that the US sells Taiwan defense equipment in accordance with the TRA to maintain regional peace and stability.
It also shared photographs of Christensen’s visit on its Facebook page and Instagram account.
“We are honored to visit the largest destroyer in Taiwan’s Navy,” Christiansen said. “This Keelung-class guided-missile destroyer was formerly an American Kidd-class destroyer and transitioned to Taiwan between 2005 and 2006.”
“It has strong anti-air, anti-surface and marine patrol capabilities and battlefield management capabilities,” he added.
His visit was organized by the Ministry of National Defense’s Strategic Planning Office.
Christensen later met with Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) “to learn more about his vision for Kaohsiung and his work since taking office,” the AIT said.
Han said that he did not talk about the latest arms deal with the US, the sale of F-16V fighters, but focused on development and changes in Kaohsiung.
They also discussed cross-strait relations, Taiwan’s relations with Hong Kong and Macau, and US-Taiwan relations, the mayor said.
Additional reporting by CNA.
DEFENSE: The National Security Bureau promised to expand communication and intelligence cooperation with global partners and enhance its strategic analytical skills China has not only increased military exercises and “gray zone” tactics against Taiwan this year, but also continues to recruit military personnel for espionage, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday in a report to the Legislative Yuan. The bureau submitted the report ahead of NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen’s (蔡明彥) appearance before the Foreign and National Defense Committee today. Last year, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted “Joint Sword-2024A and B” military exercises targeting Taiwan and carried out 40 combat readiness patrols, the bureau said. In addition, Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s airspace 3,070 times last year, up about
The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) yesterday announced a fundraising campaign to support survivors of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, with two prayer events scheduled in Taipei and Taichung later this week. “While initial rescue operations have concluded [in Myanmar], many survivors are now facing increasingly difficult living conditions,” OCAC Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) told a news conference in Taipei. The fundraising campaign, which runs through May 31, is focused on supporting the reconstruction of damaged overseas compatriot schools, assisting students from Myanmar in Taiwan, and providing essential items, such as drinking water, food and medical supplies,
STRICTER ENFORCEMENT: Taipei authorities warned against drunk cycling after a sharp rise in riding under the influence, urging greater public awareness of its illegality Taipei authorities have issued a public warning urging people not to ride bicycles after consuming alcohol, following a sharp rise in riding under the influence (DUI) cases involving bicycles. Five hundred and seven people were charged with DUI last year while riding YouBikes, personal bicycles, or other self-propelled two-wheelers — a fourfold increase from the previous year, data released by the Taipei Police Department’s Traffic Division showed. Of these, 33 cases were considered severe enough to be prosecuted under “offenses against public safety,” the data showed. Under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例), bicycles — including YouBikes and other
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 8:31am today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was located in Hualien County, about 70.3 kilometers south southwest of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 23.2km, according to the administration. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County, where it measured 3 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 2 in Hualien and Nantou counties, the CWA said.
RSS