TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of National Defence (MND, 國防部) dismissed concerns about China conducting a decapitation strike against Taiwan on Monday (Jan. 5), following the recent U.S. operation that arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) reassured the public that Taiwan's military remains prepared for unexpected scenarios. Hsu reported three Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and one Chinese government ship operated around Taiwan, based on routine surveillance.
The Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's parliament, Finance Committee (財政委員會) invited Hsu to discuss the impact of the unreviewed central government budget for fiscal year 2026 on national security and local development. Hsu emphasized the importance of budget oversight, stating the Ministry of National Defense will carefully allocate its budget under legislative supervision. The deputy minister stressed Taiwan conducts routine intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance daily, releasing information on schedule.
During the Finance Committee session, Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, legislator Lai Shih-bao (賴士葆) questioned Hsu about condemning the U.S. action in Venezuela. Hsu responded that the event does not directly relate to Taiwan's interests, stressing the need to enhance preparedness for sudden incidents. The deputy minister highlighted that Taiwan's military has protocols in place for various emergencies and collaborates with other relevant agencies to ensure national security.
In response to media questions about whether Chinese military activity around Taiwan dropped to zero following U.S. military actions against Venezuela, Hsu clarified that surveillance operations continue daily. The deputy minister confirmed three Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and one Chinese government ship operated around Taiwan based on routine monitoring. Taiwan releases surveillance information on schedule as part of its ongoing security monitoring efforts. ◼
