Taiwan Ministry of National Defense announcement 結果共3筆

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported that two Chinese balloons were detected crossing the Taiwan Strait median line within the previous 24 hours, with one passing over Taiwan. The balloons’ transit began on Tuesday morning, with one located 90 nautical miles west of Keelung and the other spotted 113 nautical miles west of Pingtung. Alongside the balloons, Taiwanese forces also observed seven Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels operating continuously in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait during the same period. The Republic of China Armed Forces closely monitored and responded to the situation using mission aircraft, ships, and shore-based missile systems. This announcement by the MND highlights the ongoing security challenges in the region and comes at a time of increased cross-strait tension.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has announced that conscripted soldiers who fail to pass their basic training will receive a base salary of approximately NT$10,000, without eligibility for professional bonuses or honor leave. The new one-year mandatory service, starting in January 2024, requires conscripts to undergo 8 weeks of basic training followed by 44 weeks of unit training. The basic training curriculum includes combat instruction, tactical marching, and battlefield medical aid courses. Only those who pass the basic training and obtain the ＂Completion of Training Specialty Certificate＂ will qualify for an additional monthly professional bonus of NT$10,190, bringing their total monthly salary to NT$20,320. To ensure training effectiveness, the MND has also issued guidelines for supplementary training and re-tests for conscripts who fail to meet the standards.

Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense, Chiu Kuo-cheng, stated that the Ministry will not interfere with general aviation enthusiasts taking photographs, but any behavior involving scaling walls to capture military installations will be considered reconnaissance activities. This announcement was made during a review of the draft ＂Military Base Security Maintenance Regulations＂ bill at the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee. According to the draft bill, unauthorized reconnaissance activities directed at military camp areas, such as measurement, filming, photography, depiction, or description, can result in fines ranging from NT＄30,000 to NT＄150,000 if they compromise national security. The committee discussed potential issues related to dash cameras unintentionally filming the area or residents of high-rise buildings next to a base. Deputy Chief of Combat Planning, Chen Wen-Hsing, clarified that the draft bill mainly targets harmful reconnaissance activities, while general photography activities remain unaffected. Minister Chiu emphasized that unauthorized photography in restricted areas is considered reconnaissance. Kuomintang legislator Chen I-hsin raised concerns about possible conflicts between existing ＂Vital Area Regulations＂ and the proposed new law, suggesting the incorporation of maintaining military base security into existing regulations as a specific chapter.