Taiwan has to demonstrate that it is determined to defend itself to the new US administration, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said today when asked about a potential defense budget cut.
When asked whether a three-percent budget cut being proposed by the Taiwan People’s Party would convey a wrong message to Taiwan’s allies, Koo said it would affect the military’s operation and investment projects.
The ministry hopes its NT$476 billion (US$14.46 billion) budget could be passed in its entirety in order to signify to the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump that Taiwan is determined to defend itself, he said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-te, Taipei Times
Regarding the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) proposal to suspend NT$1.8 billion of the ministry’s NT$2 billion budget for the indigenous defense submarine program, Koo said he had “made a promise” that the ministry would only use the budget after the Hai Kun (海鯤), or Narwhal, passes the sea acceptance test which is expected to be held in April, so the ministry does not want the budget to be frozen or slashed.
Speaking about a recent incident in which a Chinese-linked ship was suspected of damaging one of Taiwan’s undersea cables, Koo said Taiwan will dispatch its navy if necessary to help the coast guard respond to any suspicious activity near undersea communication cables.
The authorities said a ship owned by a Hong Kong company but registered in both Cameroon and Tanzania damaged a cable to the north of the island earlier this month, although it says it has not been able to verify the ship's intentions and was unable to board it due to bad weather.
The ship's owner has denied involvement, and China's government has said Taiwan was making up accusations before the facts were clear.
The incident has particularly alarmed Taiwan given it has repeatedly complained about "grey-zone" Chinese activities around it, which are intended to pressure Taiwan without direct confrontation such as balloon overflights and sand dredging.
Speaking to reporters at parliament, Koo said the armed forces would closely coordinate with the coast guard and help monitor areas where sea cables are located.
"Once something happens, the coast guard will go out first, and if needed the navy will immediately cooperate if a response is required," he added.
Also speaking to the media at parliament, National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said the government has already activated a mechanism with "international friends" to exchange information about Chinese "grey-zone" maritime activities, though he did not provide details.
Taiwan's focus will be on ships carrying flags of convenience — those registered in countries other than the one where their actual owner is based in — and how China might be using them in the waters around Taiwan, Tsai said.
The authorities have pointed to similarities between what it experienced and damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Last week, the government said Chinese ships flying flags of convenience have "the mark of evil about them."
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