Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Taiwan requires long-range and accurate weapons in order to anticipate the possibility of open war with China.
Taiwan’s Defense Minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, said the advanced weapons were needed by Taipei following news that China was developing a defense system to nimbly attack its territory.
Chiu said Taiwan needed advanced weapons that could tell China it could defend itself.
“The development of combat equipment must be long-range, accurate, and mobile, so that the enemy can feel that we are ready as soon as they (China) send their troops,” Chiu said, referring to Taiwan’s missile capabilities on Friday (27/9).
The Taiwanese government report also says that Taiwan is currently training its medium- and long-range missiles at a testing facility on Taiwan’s southeast coast. This exercise was carried out as an effort to anticipate attacks from China.
However, Chiu kept the distance that can be achieved by the Taiwan missiles.
Quoted ReutersAccording to the Taiwan Ministry of Defense’s analysis of China’s military capabilities, China is able to monitor movements and disable Taiwan’s military in a short time.
Chiu said it was important for the Taiwanese community to know what dangers were threatening them.
When asked about where China’s first attack might lead, Chiu said the attack would target Taiwan’s command and communications center.
“In this case the capabilities of the Chinese Communists are increasing rapidly. They can interfere with our command, control, communication and intelligence systems, for example with fixed radar stations which must be attacked first,” he said.
“So we have to move around, stealthily, and be able to change positions.”
Recently, the Taiwanese government also proposed a budget of up to 240 billion Taiwan dollars or equivalent to Rp. 123 trillion for the purchase of weapons.
The defense budget increase proposal comes as tensions between Taipei and Beijing escalate.
President Tsai Ing-wen’s cabinet submitted the budget plan to parliament on Thursday (16/9). The budget is expected to be approved because Tsai’s camp holds a majority in parliament.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense hopes that this budget can be approved quickly because of China’s growing threat to the country.
“China continues to invest heavily in the national defense budget. Their military power is growing rapidly, and they continue to send planes and ships to invade our waters and airspace,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Taiwan has frequently protested against Chinese military activity near its territory. During 2020, Chinese military aircraft recorded hundreds of times going back and forth through Taiwan’s airspace.
China itself continues to increase its aggressiveness towards Taiwan in order to dampen the region’s efforts for independence. President Xi Jinping did not even hesitate to use military means to suppress Taipei’s ambitions for independence.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a territory of its sovereignty that rebels because it wants independence.
(pwn / rds)
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