The National Interest
Date: August 22, 2020

Taipei's military capabilities compared to Beijing have slipped. While one military sale won't change that, new F-16v fighters are a step in the right direction–for many reasons.  

by Dean Cheng

After an arduous trek of nearly 20 years, the United States and the Republic of China, the governing entity on Taiwan, this week made the final arrangements for the sale of 66 advanced F-16s to Taiwan. Valued at some $62 billion over 10 years, it is the largest arms sale to the island in years. Its jagged course also reflects the undercurrents that have long affected arms sales and the broader US-Taiwan relationship.

The idea of selling more advanced F-16s to Taiwan arose toward the end of the 1990s. Taiwan’s air force was confronted with the obsolescence of the F-5, a 1960s-vintage fighter designed as a lightweight, cheap aircraft primarily for export. On the mainland, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) had begun a massive modernization effort and was adding more and more advanced Su-27/J-11s to its inventory, as well as the HQ-9 advanced surface-to-air missile. It was clear that the F-5 would be unlikely to survive in the face of increasingly sophisticated Chinese fighters and missile defenses. The US and Taiwan governments both concluded that the best solution would be to sell Taiwan F-16C/Ds, which were more advanced than the F-16A/Bs sold by President George H.W. Bush to the island in 1992. The F-16C/D not only had more modern avionics, but was better suited to undertaking ground support missions.

Unfortunately, politics on both sides of the Pacific led to constant delays. In 2000, when Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the race for the presidency of Taiwan, the Kuomintang (KMT) opposition in the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan’s legislature) voted against appropriating the funds necessary for the purchase of F-16C/Ds. The Taiwan legislature’s obstructions frustrated the George W. Bush administration, who eventually pulled the entire sale in 2005.

When Ma Ying-jeou came to power in 2008, there was renewed interest in Taipei, but the Obama administration, intent on fostering improved relations with China and focused on obtaining Beijing’s cooperation on climate change, actively discouraged the F-16C/D sale. They opted, instead, for a modernization program for the island’s F-16A/B fleet. While this improved the 100+ F-16 fighters already in the ROC Air Force inventory, it did nothing to address the aging of the F-5s.     [FULL  STORY]

• Any attempt at invasion ‘would have only the effect of triggering the wrath and antipathy of Taiwan’s people’, defence ministry says in statement accompanying footage of training exercise
• Video comes after an increase in political sabre-rattling and military exercises in waters close to the self-ruled island

South China Morning Post
Date: 22 Aug, 2020
By: Lawrence Chung

Taiwanese television broadcast a video on Friday of a military exercise simulating the island coming under attack.

The film, produced by the defence ministry, showed troops firing anti-aircraft, anti-tank and anti-ship missiles in defence of the island against a mock invasion from across the Taiwan Strait, the waterway that separates it from mainland China.

The footage showed troops firing anti-aircraft, anti-tank and anti-ship missiles. Photo: Handout

In a statement accompanying the film – which was released on Facebook and released to the media on Thursday – the ministry said Beijing should not underestimate the island’s determination to defend itself.

“The most egotistical country can thoughtlessly provoke a war and the most ignorant government can be caught in the flames of war,” it said, adding that repeated provocation and intimidation by the People’s Liberation Army – mainland China’s military – would not work.
[FULL  STORY]

Government pledges to double down on drivers not stopping for pedestrians at intersections

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/22
By: Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on Friday (Aug. 21) announced a one-month joint project with the National Police Agency (NPA) to clamp down on drivers who don't stop for pedestrians at intersections.

At a press conference, MOTC said the project will commence in September to raise road safety awareness and educate drivers about the right of way of pedestrians. It was pointed out that national traffic accident rates have risen over the last two years, with a total of 839 pedestrian fatalities reported during this period.

According to the government, the number of incidents when vehicles failed to yield to pedestrians increased from 879,698 in 2015 to 1.38 million last year. The number of fatalities occurring within 30 days of a traffic accident also saw an 3.1 percent increase from 2018 to 2,865 last year.

Hsieh Ming-hong (謝銘鴻), executive secretary of MOTC's Road Traffic Safety Commission, said approximately 40 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur at intersections. He reminded drivers to keep a distance of 3 meters from pedestrians and not occupy crosswalks with their vehicles, reported Liberty Times.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/22/2020
By: Yu Hsiang, Wen Kui-hsiang
and Emerson Lim

Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) Former President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) on Saturday accused the Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) administration of pushing Taiwan to the brink of war with China, drawing the ire of Tsai and her officials, who said that peace cannot be achieved by being weak on sovereignty issues.

"A person entrusted by the people to lead the country should never have such unrealistic fantasies," Tsai wrote on her Facebook page. "He or she should never think that bowing and scraping on the issue of sovereignty, or staying mum on democratic values, would bring so-called peace to the people."

Tsai posted the comment in response to a presentation by former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) at a security forum earlier in the day, in which he said the "erroneous national policy" of the current administration in Taiwan was pushing the country to the brink of a war.

Ma of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) said the Taiwan administration was siding with the United States against China and was unwilling to recognize the "1992 Consensus," policies that had led to increased tensions across the strait.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 21 August, 2020
By: Leslie Liao

The Central Weather Bureau says that a low-pressure system northeast of the Philippines will likely turn into a tropical storm in the coming days. 

It predicts that the system will move in a northerly direction, approaching eastern Taiwan. The bureau says that the system will then grow into a tropical storm while off Taiwan’s east coast, on Saturday night or Sunday morning at the earliest.    [FULL  STORY]

Straits Times
Date: August 21, 2020
By: Lim Ruey Yan

Taiwanese actor Kai Ko is hoping to rebuild his career after it was ruined by a drug arrest six years ago.

On Thursday (Aug 20), the 29-year-old, who shot to fame in his debut movie, You Are The Apple Of My Eye, in 2011, posted on social media several photos of himself in the hit coming-of-age film.

He wrote: "Nine years ago, I began a crazy journey with the release of my first movie. Thanks to everyone who has always been with me.

"I don't know what to say, but I will try my best to rebuild the dreams which I have shattered personally, as I put them back piece by piece.    [FULL  STORY]

Ministry of National Defense signed the contract in January

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/21
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China’s J-20 stealth jets will soon have nowhere to hide as Taiwan is upgrading its six E-2K Hawkeye early warning aircraft to E-2D level, reports said Friday (Aug. 21).

The Ministry of National Defense is spending NT$1.51 billion (US$51.4 million) on the project to have the United States modernize the planes’ radar systems to make them as sophisticated as those in use on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye based on U.S. aircraft carriers, according to a report in the Liberty Times.

Taiwan and the U.S. signed the contract just before last January’s presidential election, with the upgrade to be completed by Sept. 30, 2024. The aircraft will be sent to the U.S. one by one for the enhancements to be completed gradually, the report said.

One of the major new functionalities will be to allow the radar to capture all flying objects within a radius of 550 kilometers and vessels within a radius of 350 km. Even the most advanced Chinese stealth jets like the J-20 and the J-31 will not escape its eye.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/21/2020
By: Flor Wang and Huang Hsu-sheng)

Taipei, Aug. 21 (CNA) New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) on Friday laid out his vision to make the city bilingual by 2030, a goal that aims to nurture "world citizens" who are willing to speak and use English.

Hou issued the appeal in a meeting at Sanhe Junior High School, which was attended by principals from public and private elementary and secondary schools across the city.

During the meeting, a foreign teacher led several students in a chemical experiment using English to demonstrate how the school has succeeded in combining learning English with academic learning.

Calling on school heads to jointly work toward the goal, Hou said a sound environment must be built across the board to help students learn and speak English naturally in their daily lives.
[FULL  STORY]

STRONG SUPPORT: Amid US-China tensions, TSU acting chairwoman Chen Nia-an expects Trump to further side with Taiwan during a potential second presidential term

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 22, 2020
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday called on Taiwanese and Taiwanese-Americans to support US President Donald Trump’s re-election bid, saying Trump has pursued policies to consolidate political and economic ties with Taiwan, and has proven to be a strong leader, standing up against China’s hegemonic ambitions and military provocations in Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.

“Our stance is based on the Taiwanese people’s pursuit of freedom and democracy, and that supporting Trump’s re-election is in the best interest of the nation,” TSU interim chairwoman Chou Ni-an (周倪安) told a news conference in Taipei.

“From the many policies implemented by his administration that benefit Taiwan and boost bilateral relations, it is very clear that Trump has been the most Taiwan-friendly US leader since World War II,” she said.

The Trump administration normalized weapons sales to Taiwan and included the nation in its Foreign Military Sales program, which facilitates US defense equipment sales and services to foreign countries, Chou said.    [FULL  STORY]