Department of Defense 結果共9筆

The White House announces a historic US$100 million military assistance allocation for Taiwan in the fiscal year 2025 budget, marking the first dedicated funding by the U.S. Department of State for the island. This move aims to enhance Taiwan’s deterrence capabilities and maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait. Additionally, President Joe Biden authorizes the sale of F-16 Infrared Search and Track systems to Taiwan, further reinforcing security cooperation.

The United States Department of Defense has awarded a contract to Raytheon Company to produce and deliver 50 AGM-154 Block III C Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) to Taiwan. The contract, valued at US＄68.4 million, requires completion by March 2028. The AGM-154 Block III C is an air-launched glide cruise missile with a range of 22 kilometers at low altitude and up to 130 kilometers when launched at a higher altitude. It is compatible with Taiwan’s F-16V fighter jets and will enhance Taiwan’s aerial capabilities for land-based attacks. Negotiations for another weapons procurement contract involving AGM-84H/K (SLAM-ER) extended-range standoff land attack missiles are ongoing.

The first group of conscripts for the one-year compulsory military service in Taipei enlisted on January 25. These 670 young men will undergo an eight-week enlistment training. The extension of mandatory military service, approved by President Tsai Ing-wen last year, has posed emotional challenges for many young couples. Girlfriends accompanied their conscripted boyfriends to the Department of Compulsory Military Service’s Alternative Service Center, offering encouragement and expressing hope that military service would help their partners overcome bad habits and become more responsible. Despite the year-long separation, conscripts expressed faith in their relationships, although they couldn’t help but worry about the lack of constant communication. Various girlfriends reassured their worried boyfriends, saying, ＂Don’t worry!＂ The Ministry of National Defense stated that the decision to extend mandatory service was influenced by changing international situations, authoritarianism, defense combat needs, and the intensity of the four-month military training. It was also based on a comparative study of conscription systems in other countries.

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee has agreed to include provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24 NDAA) to assist in the training of Taiwan’s armed forces. The bill, with a budget of ＵＳUS＄876.8 billion, requires the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive training and advisory program for Taiwan’s military. The program will only proceed with the consent of the Secretary of State and after consultations with Taiwanese officials. The legislation aims to enhance Taiwan’s multilayered defense capabilities, including asymmetric defense strategies and interoperability with U.S. forces. It also promotes cybersecurity cooperation and the protection of military networks. The NDAA mandates biannual reporting on China’s military developments in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the South China Sea. Additionally, a classified report will evaluate the absorption of U.S.-provided military capabilities by Taiwan’s armed forces. After approval by Congress, President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, strengthening U.S.-Taiwan defense relations.

The story discusses the response of the Kuomintang (KMT) party’s International Affairs Department to the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) allegations regarding the KMT’s cross-strait policy. The KMT defended its stance and accused the DPP of manipulating international opinion to hide its own lack of expertise in national security. The DPP’s allegations were made in an article by Vincent Chao, the head of the DPP’s International Affairs Department, in The Diplomat. Chao questioned the clarity of the KMT’s position on relations with China and claimed that a KMT presidency under Hou Yu-ih would lead to a more isolated Taiwan that is overly reliant on China. The KMT argued that Chao deliberately misconstrued their position on military conscription and reiterated the importance of national defense and conscription reforms for the security of the Republic of China (R.O.C.). They expressed regret over the DPP’s misleading claims and highlighted Hou’s commitment to bolstering national defense during his visit to the United States in September 2023. The KMT also criticized Chao for distorting their stance despite their envoy’s detailed explanation of the party’s defense policies at the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in October. The KMT emphasized the significance of the next president’s term overlapping with Xi Jinping’s third term as the leader of China’s Communist Party and warned against relying on the DPP’s diplomatic strategies or self-proclaimed experts.

The New Taipei City Education Department has been allocating an annual budget of NT$17 million to subsidize volunteer activities at schools, including the purchase of guide and protective equipment. The department also ensures the safety of school volunteers by coordinating the procurement of insurance for them every year. This response comes after concerns were raised by New Taipei City Councilor Huang Shu-chun about the discrepancy between the budget for volunteer equipment and the actual number of volunteers. Huang pointed out that the current budget provides equipment for over 5,000 volunteers, despite an estimated 32,000 volunteers on the roster. Huang also compared the benefits granted to school social workers with those provided for police civil defense, neighborhood chiefs, and patrol teams. While school social workers receive an average of NT$495, the others receive a volunteer reward of NT$3,840. Huang emphasized the need to review and improve the system in order to address concerns about a potential reduction in volunteers and difficulties in recruitment and retention.

The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. has called on the United States to stop spreading misinformation and stated that China’s actions are necessary measures. This comes after the United States Department of Defense released videos and photographs showing People’s Liberation Army aircraft approaching and releasing jamming projectiles near U.S. military aircraft. The spokesperson emphasized that U.S. military aircraft conducted 657 close-reconnaissance missions in the South China Sea in 2022.

Washington has proposed selling 100 most advanced Patriot air-defense missiles with radar and support equipment, according to a US Department of State notice obtained by Bloomberg News.

總統啟動「海洋民主之旅」，陸續訪問帛琉、諾魯、馬紹爾群島三友邦，台北時間27日上午，參訪隸屬夏威夷民防廳(Department of Defense)的急難管理署。而夏威夷州國民兵司令兼民防廳長Arthur Logan少將陪同參訪，這也是蔡總統首度在美國過境期間與美軍將領會面。