RESEARCH SHIP: The ‘Thomas G. Thompson’ has visited Taiwan four times since its maiden voyage in April, and is conducting research with NTU, defense officials said
Taipei Times
Date: Oct 17, 2018
By: Hung Ting-hung, Aaron Tu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporters, with staff writer
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday downplayed the presence of a US Navy ship
US research vessel Thomas G. Thompson is pictured at the Port of Kaohsiung yesterday.
Photo: CNA
in Kaohsiung, saying it is a research vessel and urged people to stop speculating about its mission or how it relates to US policy.
The Thomas G. Thompson dropped anchor in the Port of Kaohsiung on Monday morning to replenish supplies and for crew replacement, Taiwan International Ports Corp (TIPC, 台灣港務) said in a statement.
The ship is owned by the Office of Naval Research.
It has visited Taiwan four times for resupply since its maiden voyage in April, the company said.
During a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Jason Hsu (許毓仁) and Lin Li-chan (林麗蟬) asked Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) if the boat’s presence is connected to the US’ National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019 or a US military show of force in the region. [FULL STORY]