Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
Taiwan started their long-range missile production process amid an increasing threat from China.
Leng Chin-hsu, Deputy Director of the Chung-Shan National Institute of Science and Technology, said before the parliament that his party is currently entering the long-range missile production process.
Meanwhile, they are also still developing three other types of long-range missiles. Leng also admitted that his party had carried out a number of trials on the southeastern coast of Taiwan in recent times.
As reported ReutersLeng made this statement while accompanying the Minister of Defense of Taiwan, Chiu Kuo-cheng, in a meeting with the parliament on Thursday (25/3).
During the meeting, Chiu emphasized that the development of long-range missile strike capabilities is their current priority.
“We hope this long-range missile is accurate and can move,” said Chiu.
The development of this Taiwan missile began to catch on in the media when there were calls for airlines to avoid a number of areas that turned out to be test locations.
So far, Taiwan’s armed forces have focused on ground defense from Chinese attacks. But recently, the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, emphasized that they also needed a mobile defense system.
He wants the defense system to be difficult to track and destroy, as well as capable of hitting targets far from the coast of Taiwan.
Taiwan continues to increase its military capacity amid the growing threat of a Chinese invasion. This threat is also recognized by the United States.
Prospective US Military Fleet Commander for the Indo-Pacific (USPACOM), Admiral John Aquilino, said China’s threat to attack Taiwan was more serious and real than most people understood.
“The Chinese Communist Party has produced several capabilities in the area designed to deter us. The most dangerous concern is military strength against Taiwan,” Aquilino said.
So far, China regards Taiwan as an opposition territory because it insists on independence as a sovereign state.
The relationship between China and Taiwan also continued to deteriorate after Taipei was led by President Tsai Ing-wen. He is the president of Taiwan who is pro-democracy.
Since taking office in 2016, Tsai has continued to seek international recognition for Taiwan, including by getting closer to the US.
However, Chinese President Xi Jinping insisted he would not allow Taiwan to become independent. He even vowed to do everything in his power, including a military war to defend Taiwan.
The US transferred diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979. Even so, the US remains the unofficial ally and most important military supporter of Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act.
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