SEA AND AIR:Academics and lawmakers underlined the need for the nation to build up its submarine, cyberspace and fighter jet capabilities to defend itself

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 19, 2016
By: Aaron Tu / Staff reporter

Academics and lawmakers urged the incoming government of president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to prepare the nation against cyberwarfare, as well as bolster the nation’s sea and air capabilities, following a Ministry of National Defense report released in September last year that showed China would complete building its capability to wage an all-out war against Taiwan by 2020.

The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) New Frontier Foundation also released national defense blue papers in 2014 and last year, which showed that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) might have the capability to wage and win a massive war against Taiwan by 2020.

Ming Chuan University assistant professor of international affairs and diplomacy Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑) said that if war breaks out between Taiwan and China, the PLA might try to block Taiwan’s defense efforts through electronic, cyberwarfare and missile assaults, and that when Taiwan faces missile attacks, the key factor in its defense would be whether it has a sustainable air force.

Lin said submarines could stop the Chinese navy, and therefore should be a priority as Taiwan develops its defense capabilities.     [FULL  STORY]