Taiwan‘s Ministry of National Defense said Friday (Feb. 19) that the Taiwan Air Force responded to Chinese Air Force military aircraft flying into Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone. On the same day, Taiwan announced the appointment of new national security officials. The new defense chief will strengthen strategic communication with the U.S. and promote defense reform.
According to a news release from Taiwan’s military, the Taiwan Air Force Command announced on Friday the flight activities of Chinese military aircraft flying into Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said nine Chinese military aircraft flew into the area, including four J-16s, four J-7s and one transport-9 communications countermeasures aircraft.
Taiwan’s Air Force “dispatched air patrol forces to respond, broadcast repulsions, and conducted anti-aircraft missile chases.”
Chinese military aircraft may fly into the air defense identification zone southwest of Taiwan almost every day. But the last Time there was such a larger-scale action was Jan. 24, when 12 Chinese military aircraft flew into the air defense identification zone.
Earlier, the Ministry of National Defense issued a news release stating that Tsai Ing-wen’s administration had made new changes to her national security team. The new personnel arrangement is to implement the three iron triangle positioning of “foreign affairs”, “cross-strait affairs” and “defense affairs”.
At a briefing at the presidential palace on Friday evening, spokesman Zhang Dunhan announced several new appointments, including the replacement of National Security Director Qiu Guozheng as Defense Minister and the transfer of Yan Defa to an advisory member of the National Security Council. Chen Ming-tong, a member of the Land Commission, took over as National Security Secretary, and his position was taken over by former NSC advisory member Qiu Taizan.
The new defense chief Qiu was the commander of Taiwan’s six army corps, reserve commander, president of the National Defense University, army commander, chief of staff, chairman of the Retreat Committee, and the current national security chief.
When introducing the new defense chief, a spokesman for Taiwan’s presidential office highlighted Chiu’s background as a graduate of the U.S. Army War College. Qiu graduated in 1999 and was inducted into the U.S. Army War College Hall of Fame in 2018.
The spokesman said Qiu is “familiar with U.S. national strategy and military thinking, and during his tenure as director of national security, he has been instrumental in promoting strategic communications and related security work with the United States.”
According to a press release issued by the Taiwanese military, Qiu’s tenure as defense chief “will facilitate subsequent cooperation between the two sides (Taiwan and the U.S.) on various defense matters.” In addition, the press release said that with his past experience, Qiu “has a full grasp of the work of the national defense system and can immediately take on the work of future defense reform.”
A spokesperson for Taiwan’s presidential office said President Tsai Ing-wen’s expectation of Qiu Guozheng is that he “must complete the next phase of national defense reform, including a comprehensive review and planning for non-traditional threats, asymmetric warfare, and joint warfare.”
The three iron triangles of the “national security team” proposed by the Taiwan presidential administration are Secretary General David Lee, Foreign Minister Wu Chiu-sup, and U.S. Representative Hsiao Mei-chin for “foreign affairs”; and “cross-strait affairs “The three iron triangles of the “national security team” are Secretary General Lee David, Foreign Minister Wu Chiu-sup and Representative to the U.S. Hsiao Mei-chin in foreign affairs; Director Chen Ming-tong, Chairman of the National Security Council, Chairman Chiu Tai-san and Vice Chairman Zhan Chi-hung in SEF in cross-strait affairs; and Advisory Committee Yan Deifa, Defense Secretary Chiu Kuo-ching and Chief Huang Shu-kwong in national defense and security. The “three iron triangles” are intended to “continue to implement national defense reform and strengthen the national military’s combat capabilities, continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with countries with similar philosophies, and continue to maintain peace, stability, and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait and the region.”
Recent Comments