Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Defending Taiwan is up to Taiwanese: UMC founder

Taipei Times

United Microelectronics Corp founder Robert Tsao speaks to reporters in an undated photograph.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times

Defending Taiwan is something Taiwanese must do on their own, United Microelectronics Corp (UMC, 聯電) founder Robert Tsao (曹興誠) said, adding that those who doubt the US’ commitment to Taiwan aim to “dampen morale” and “create panic within Taiwan.”

Tsao made the remarks in two articles shared by Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), who posted them on Facebook on Saturday.

Taiwan, Ukraine and a 75th anniversary

John J. Tkacik, Jr.

Dear Reader, I intended to write about something that happened 75 years ago. But, last week saw a major war erupt in East Europe and I cannot ignore it. And, this week sees alarm spread across the globe that war may also break out in East Asia starting in the Taiwan Strait.

It is almost as if the second world war is repeating itself, except in mirror image: Putin’s Russia is not the victim, but rather the perpetrator, of aggression in East Europe. In East Asia, Xi Jinping’s (習近平) China plays the exact role of the Imperial Japan a century ago, demanding control of East Asia’s raw materials and maritime lines of communication, and menacing Southeast Asia, India, the Pacific isles and, needless to say, Taiwan.

Protect the nation’s eyes and ears

Lu Li-shih 呂禮詩

During the Lunar New Year holiday, an unidentified aircraft flew into the airspace of Lienchiang County’s Dongyin Island (東引), a small militarized island in the Matsu archipelago.

The military later said that the plane was a Chinese Harbin Y-12 light civilian aircraft. Although the incident occurred on Feb. 5, the reason for the intrusion and controversy surrounding the incident continue to reverberate.

On the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and cruise missiles attacked administrative centers and military bases. It was a demonstration of the importance of early-warning systems and raises several questions for Taiwan.

China deploying ‘gray zone’ tactics

Yao Chung-yuan 姚中原

The primary purpose of the military’s annual Han Kuang exercises is to test the nation’s defenses against an amphibious invasion by China, which is predicated on the assumption that Taiwan proper would be the primary theater of operations. The tri-service air defense, maritime interception and land defense exercises are the largest military exercises held by Taiwan’s armed forces.

While the exercises conform with Taiwan’s strategic defense goals in respect of conventional combat operations, the Ministry of National Defense needs to reassess whether the Han Kuang exercises adequately prepare the military to respond to new threats in an era of “gray zone” operations, particularly when directed against the outlying islands.

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