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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


January 2014 - Taiwan Special Weapons News

  • Cooperation with China conducive to peace in Taiwan Strait: President CNA 29 Jan 2014 -- Speaking to overseas Chinese and Taiwanese in Los Angeles, Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said that cooperation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is conducive to peace.
  • MND relaxes rules for volunteer military recruitment CNA 28 Jan 2014 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday that it has relaxed the rules for volunteer military recruitment, including age, height and restrictions on tattoos, as part of efforts to meet recruitment targets of 10,557 for 2014.
  • Taiwan calls for cross-strait pact on security screening mechanism CNA 28 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan's top official in charge of China affairs said Tuesday that a cross-Taiwan Strait pact on a national security screening mechanism should be established on the existing foundation of cross-strait agreements.
  • Politics Loom as China, Taiwan Plan High-Level Talks VOA 28 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan announced it will hold ministerial-level talks with China next month. The two sides are likely to discuss issues that would advance Beijing's goal of unifying the two separately ruled sides.
  • Taiwan protests Japan's launch of website claiming Diaoyutais CNA 25 Jan 2014 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) protested Saturday over Japan's launch of a website a day earlier that reiterates its sovereignty claims over the disputed Diaoyutai Islands.
  • Streamlining of armed forces will not affect defense: president CNA 23 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan's armed forces have been reduced to about 0.93 percent of the country's total population under government streamlining efforts, but President Ma Ying-jeou remains confident that the size of the military is large enough to protect the country.
  • Apache helicopters set to be ungrounded next month CNA 20 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan is set to lift the grounding of its 12 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in February, more than a month after grounding the aircraft following a failure in the same model reported by the U.S. Army, a source in Taiwan's military said Monday.
  • Size of Taiwan's armed forces to be cut further CNA 20 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan is planning to cut the country's military personnel to below 200,000 by the end of 2019, as it moves forward with its efforts to streamline the military, Defense Minister Yen Ming said Monday.
  • Deserting female military officer brought back to Taiwan CNA 19 Jan 2014 -- A Taiwanese military intelligence officer who deserted her post in Taiwan more than 18 months ago and went into hiding in the United Kingdom, returned to Taiwan Sunday afternoon after being repatriated by British authorities.
  • Upgraded IDF jets to boost Taiwan's air defense CNA 16 Jan 2014 -- The first batch of upgraded indigenous defense fighter (IDF) jets and the installation of a new weapons system on the locally developed fighters will boost Taiwan's air defense capabilities, the Air Force said Thursday.
  • President gives thumbs-up to upgraded IDF jets CNA 16 Jan 2014 -- President Ma Ying-jeou praised the first batch of upgraded indigenous defense fighter (IDF) jets and the installation of a new weapons system at a ceremony Thursday at an air base in the southern city of Tainan.
  • Ceremony held to mark weapons upgrade for IDF jets CNA 16 Jan 2014 -- A ceremony was held at an air base in the southern city of Tainan Thursday to mark the completion of the first batch of upgraded indigenous defense fighter (IDF) jets and the installation of a new weapons system.
  • Ceremony to mark upgrading of weapons on IDF jets CNA 15 Jan 2014 -- A ceremony is set for Tuesday at an air base in the southern city of Tainan to mark the completion of the first batch of upgraded indigenous defense fighter (IDF) jets and the installation of a new weapon system, the Air Force said Wednesday.
  • Legislature approves controversial amendments to restrict wiretaps CNA 14 Jan 2014 -- Lawmakers made wiretap warrants more difficult to obtain Tuesday by approving sweeping amendments to the country's wiretapping law, in a move criticized by the Ministry of Justice as having 'a negative impact on crime-fighting.'
  • Taiwan could negotiate with China over air defense zone CNA 14 Jan 2014 -- President Ma Ying-jeou said Tuesday that Taiwan will not rule out the possibility of negotiations over China's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), which overlaps with Taiwan's in an area covering about 23,000 square kilometers.
  • Navy conducts anti-submarine drill ahead of Lunar New Year CNA 14 Jan 2014 -- The Navy held an anti-submarine drill in waters off southern Taiwan on Tuesday to highlight its combat readiness ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday that starts later this month.
  • MAC chief vows to uphold Taiwan's position during China visit CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Wang Yu-chi pledged Monday to stand firm on the government's position on cross-Taiwan Strait relations during his planned historic visit to China.
  • Tainan military prison becomes history CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- Tainan military prison, the only one of its kind in Taiwan, became history Monday with the transfer of its remaining 65 inmates to various civilian prisons in accordance with the country's revised Code of Court Martial Procedure.
  • Army showcases creature comforts to attract volunteers CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- The Army on Monday introduced new initiatives implemented at its military facilities that allow soldiers to use smartphones, browse the Internet in their free time and enjoy improved accommodation, in a bid to boost lower-than-expected enlistment figures.
  • Taiwan still sees Justin Yifu Lin as defector: defense ministry CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan considers Justin Yifu Lin, former vice president of the World Bank, to be in a continuous state of defection, after he defected to China as an Army officer nearly 35 years ago.
  • MAC chief tight-lipped on planned meeting with Chinese counterpart CNA 10 Jan 2014 -- Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Wang Yu-chi remained tight-lipped Friday on a planned meeting with his Chinese counterpart although the meeting is expected to take place in February at the earliest.
  • MAC chief will stay away from sensitive issues in China: MAC CNA 10 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan's Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Wang Yu-chi will not touch on 'sensitive political issues' or echo China's talk about a 'one China framework' during his upcoming visit to the mainland, the MAC said Friday.
  • Taiwan unveils 15-year Navy upgrade plan CNA 09 Jan 2014 -- The Navy Command Headquarters unveiled a 15-year upgrade plan for Taiwan's naval forces Thursday, under which the weapons systems of the country's major warships will all be upgraded.
  • Harpoon missiles beef up Taiwan's undersea strike ability: report CNA 08 Jan 2014 -- The U.S.' delivery of submarine-launched Harpoon missiles will help enhance Taiwan's asymmetric counterforce capability and could pose a new challenge to China's invasion plans, according to the U.S.-based Defense News weekly.
  • Obama praises Taiwan's record on nonproliferation CNA 08 Jan 2014 -- U.S. President Barack Obama praised Taiwan as having a reliable record on nuclear nonproliferation as he urged Congress to approve a bilateral accord on cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
  • 3 more Apache helicopters arrive at Tainan base CNA 08 Jan 2014 -- Three more of the six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters that arrived in Kaohsiung on Jan. 2 were trucked from the port to an air base in neighboring Tainan early Wednesday for assembly.
  • Taiwan does not recognize Beijing's South China Sea rules: MAC CNA 08 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan does not recognize regulations unilaterally announced by China over territories it claims in the South China Sea, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Wednesday.
  • Newly arrived Apache helicopters to be shipped to base by road CNA 06 Jan 2014 -- Six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, the second batch of a 30-unit deal with the United States to be shipped to Taiwan, will be transported by truck from Kaohsiung Harbor to a military base in Tainan Jan. 7-8.
  • Lawmaker concerned over quality of U.S. arms sold to Taiwan CNA 06 Jan 2014 -- A lawmaker expressed concern Monday over the quality of U.S.-made military aircraft sold to Taiwan, following faults recently found in an AH-64E Apache attack helicopter and P-3C submarine-hunting aircraft.
  • Coast guard step up crackdown on Chinese encroachers CNA 06 Jan 2014 -- Coast guard authorities on the outlying island of Kinmen vowed Monday to step up a crackdown on encroaching Chinese fishing boats and sand dredgers to protect the waters surrounding the Taiwan-controlled island.
  • Taiwan seeking to participate in RIMPAC: envoy CNA 05 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan is seeking to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise, in an effort to develop closer military cooperation with the United States, Taiwan's representative to the U.S. said.
  • Taiwan issues yellow travel alert for Shanghai after H7N9 case CNA 04 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) issued a yellow travel alert for Shanghai on Saturday, a day after the Chinese city confirmed a new human H7N9 avian influenza case.
  • Malfunction delays U.S. delivery of P-3C aircraft to Taiwan CNA 02 Jan 2014 -- The delivery of one of the 12 P-3C submarine-hunting aircraft from the United States was behind schedule due to a malfunction in its flight control system, a Taiwanese Air Force official confirmed Thursday.
  • Taiwan receives six more Apache helicopters CNA 02 Jan 2014 -- Six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters arrived in Taiwan on schedule Thursday, the second batch in a 30-helicopter deal with the United States.
  • Alleged gangster indicted for spying for China CNA 02 Jan 2014 -- Prosecutors in the southern city of Tainan have brought up charges against an alleged gang leader who they say gathered confidential information for China and tried to recruit Taiwanese servicemen as spies.
  • Taiwan to receive six more Apache choppers Thursday CNA 01 Jan 2014 -- A second batch of six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters will arrive in Taiwan on Thursday as scheduled, a military source said Wednesday.



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