Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is unlikely to have the capability to successfully invade Taiwan by 2027, National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday, casting doubt on the progress of Beijing’s military modernization plans.
Taiwan would continue to delay the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) invasion timetable by strengthening its defense capabilities, Koo said.
“I don’t think it will happen in the near future or at least within one to two years,” Koo said of a Chinese invasion.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
“If China needs to carry out amphibious landing operations to take Taiwan, I don’t think it will have such capabilities by 2027,” he said.
Koo declined to pinpoint when an attack could happen, saying only that Taiwan does not see Beijing making invasion preparations.
Beijing is already facing uncertainty next year from its own economic downturn, while the world must also deal with the US election, and wars in Europe and the Middle East, he said.
Xi is seeking to build a “world-class force” by 2027, a deadline that coincides with the 100th anniversary of the PLA.
Then-chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley last year said that Beijing’s military would not be ready to invade Taiwan for “some time.”
Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Brown Jr last week said he doubts Beijing plans to take Taiwan militarily.
Koo said Taiwan would use mobile weapons such as anti-ship missiles, HIMARS, drones and Javelin anti-tank systems to make China’s landing operations more difficult in the event of an invasion.
The US plans to accelerate a HIMARS shipment by one year to 2026.
Earlier this month, Koo said the US government is taking steps to speed up the delivery of US weapons systems to Taiwan that have been delayed by factors including shipments to Ukraine.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
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-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
RSS