TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) on Thursday (Sept. 12) criticized the government for its shortcomings in weapon maintenance and military procurement following the crash of an Air Force Mirage-2000 jet.
The accident, involving Captain Hsieh Pei-hsun (謝沛勳) during night training on Tuesday, prompted the Air Force to ground all Mirage jets for inspection.
Lee highlighted that since the Mirage-2000's induction in 1997, the fleet has experienced nine major accidents, causing the death of five pilots. She noted that the Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) plans to allocate NT$20 billion over four years to extend the service life of the 27-year-old jets, with engine upgrades consuming over half the budget.
Lee pointed out that France has ceased upgrading its Mirage jets, retiring its last squadron in June 2022. She criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) for failing to meet expectations in acquiring advanced aircraft and weaponry despite boasting of the best Taiwan-U.S. relations in history.
Lee called on President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to demonstrate a firm commitment to defending Taiwan's sovereignty and ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait through decisive actions.
