President Tsai lauds indigenous weapons development at ceremony
ROC Central News Agency
12/12/2023 11:11 AM
Taipei, Dec. 12 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Tuesday talked up her administration's efforts in developing indigenous weapon systems during her nearly eight years in office at a ceremony held to promote 26 senior military officers.
At the ceremony held at the Ministry of National Defense's Taipei headquarters -- Tsai's last before her second four-year term ends in May 2024 -- she said she launched several military reforms to boost the armed forces' readiness to defend Taiwan's security.
Such efforts have included building warplanes and warships at home, such as Taiwan's first Indigenous Defense Submarine "Narwhal," as well as bolstering Taiwan military's combat preparedness and resilience, she said.
The president also thanked the promoted officers for their tireless efforts, and urged them to continue to exercise their leadership in their new roles.
The promotions of senior military personnel in Taiwan used to be carried out twice a year but are now done at monthly events after the Legislature revised related laws in May 2022.
The conferral ceremony, however, is still carried out twice a year, in June and December.
This means that Tuesday's ceremony will be Tsai's last during her presidency.
During the ceremony, seven officers were promoted to the rank of two-star general -- either lieutenant general or admiral -- and 19 were promoted to the rank of one-star general -- either major general or vice admiral.
Among the seven newly promoted two-star generals was former military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shih Shun-wen (史順文), who heads the Army Command Headquarters' Political Warfare Department.
A graduate of Fu Hsing Kang College's class of 1990, he previously served as a news section chief at the Army Command Headquarters and political warfare chief in the frontline Kinmen Islands.
He is the first graduate of his school's class of 1990 to gain promotion to the rank of two-star general.
(By Joseph Yeh)
Enditem/ls
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
