A shortage of experts has impeded the development of the military’s indigenous submarine prototype, an advanced trainer jet and an F-16 modernization program, a Ministry of National Defense official said on Friday.
The official made the remarks on condition of anonymity amid an initiative by the ministry to recruit more foreigners with technical expertise to work in Taiwan’s defense sector.
Another source of strain is that foreign technicians and advisers must depart from the country after completing their contract, resulting in constant disruptions, the official said.
Photo: Hung Chen-hung, Taipei Times
The ministry has identified avionics and shipbuilding, as well as shipborne weapons and equipment, and naval platform design, as areas with urgent need of fresh talent, the official said, without elaborating on how much newly hired foreigners would earn and what benefits they would receive.
However, the ministry would try to make their employment packages as attractive as possible, the official added.
“The ministry is offering qualified foreign experts high salaries to make sure that indigenous ship and aircraft programs will meet their delivery schedule, and targets for quality and quantity,” they said.
A preview of the policy showed that foreigners would be allowed to work in the sector if they have a doctorate or equivalent degree in a relevant field, as well as at least five years of experience in military aeronautics or shipbuilding.
The degree requirement would be waived for applicants for positions that Taiwan has problems filling, such as specialists in aviation mechanical or electrical engineering, process engineering, project management, or research and development, it showed.
Also exempt would be specialists with five years of experience in shipborne weapons, equipment and platform design, including performance, structure, propulsion, electrical systems, command and control, auxiliary machinery and outfitting, the document showed.
The positions that could be filled by foreigners would be identified by the ministry or other defense-related agencies based on urgency, it showed.
‘ONE BRIDGE’: The US president-elect met with Akie Abe on Dec. 15 in Florida and the two discussed a potential Taiwan-China conflict’s implications for world peace US president-elect Donald Trump has described Taiwan as “a major issue for world peace” during a meeting with Akie Abe, the widow of late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Japanese newspaper the Yomiuri Shimbun quoted sources as saying in a report yesterday. Trump met with Akie Abe on Dec. 15 at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where the two discussed the Russo-Ukrainian war and the situation in the Taiwan Strait. During the meeting, Trump spoke on the implications for world peace of a potential Taiwan-China conflict, which “indicated his administration’s stance of placing importance on dealing with the situation in
QUICK LOOK: The amendments include stricter recall requirements and Constitutional Court procedures, as well as a big increase in local governments’ budgets Portions of controversial amendments to tighten requirements for recalling officials and Constitutional Court procedures were passed by opposition lawmakers yesterday following clashes between lawmakers in the morning, as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members tried to block Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators from entering the chamber. Parts of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) and Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) passed the third reading yesterday. The legislature was still voting on various amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法) as of press time last night, after the session was extended to midnight. Amendments to Article 4
ALLIANCE: Washington continues to implement its policy of normalizing arms sales to Taiwan and helps enhance its defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said US President Joe Biden on Friday agreed to provide US$571.3 million in defense support for Taiwan, the White House said, while the US State Department approved the potential sale of US$265 million in military equipment. Biden had delegated to the secretary of state the authority “to direct the drawdown of up to US$571.3 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan,” the White House said in a statement. However, it did not provide specific details about this latest package, which was the third of its kind to
CONSIDERING OPTIONS: Lai’s office said he regrets, but respects the outcome, and his administration is looking at all legal and constitutional means to maintain democracy The Legislative Yuan yesterday rejected all seven nominees for the Constitutional Court, an expected outcome that could immobilize the court. President William Lai (賴清德) nominated the justice candidates, including the nominees for the president and vice president of the Judicial Yuan, at the end of August. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus opposed all the nominees, while Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) caucus whip Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said his party only approved of National Taiwan University (NTU) Graduate Institute of National Development professor Liu Ching-yi (劉靜怡). The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus opposed the appointment of Liu, but approved the other nominees. As defenders of
RSS