News
Flight incursions regarded as "first strike"
Taiwan’s defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng says China's move to fly fighter jets into Taiwan's territorial airspace will be regarded as a "first strike" against the island.
Speaking at a legislative committee hearing, Chiu said the "military has its red line when it comes to national defense" and the armed forces will definitely launch "countermeasures" once the red line is crossed.The defence minister didn't elaborate on what those countermeasures would be but he noted that the definition of an "invasion" is not just limited to artillery bombardments.
Chiu also warned that China's breaking of a tacit understanding by sending its aircraft over the median line of the Taiwan Strait means it will be difficult to return to the previous situation - but what has not changed are the 'patrol zones' and 'training zones.'The defence minister says both zones are demarcated on the eastern side of the median line - and the island's military will never retreat from them.
In other defence news, The US-Taiwan Business Council says the two countries are expected to expand the scope of military training "in ways we have never seen before."
The statement was made by Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers on the last day of the annual US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in the US state of Virginia.
At present, Taiwan and the US have an ongoing F-16 fighter pilot training programme, but he says the scope of bilateral military training will soon be largely expanded to include interoperability with the US Navy and Army.Asked if he meant Washington is on board with expanding and increasing training cooperation with Taiwan, he answered "100 percent."
Hammond-Chambers did not give a specific timetable on when the expanded military training programmes will happen but he noted that it will happen sometime next year once the necessary funding has been passed by the US Congress.
