Opposition demands gov't explain China satellite launch missile alert
ROC Central News Agency
01/09/2024 09:38 PM
Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) Opposition parties on Tuesday demanded the government fully review and explain why a national alert warning of a "missile flyover" in English was sent in response to the preplanned launch of a Chinese low-orbit satellite.
Criticizing the government for sending a "misleading" alert, opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) called on the Ministry of National Defense (MND) or the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration to offer a thorough explanation.
"This is the first time I've heard that a satellite launch could prompt a national alert," he told reporters in Taichung.
"Maybe everyone was startled, thinking it was a missile, only to realize it was a satellite," he continued, referring to the English version of the warning message.
It appeared that the MND was attempting to mislead the public by issuing such an alert, he alleged.
The military sent a nationwide emergency alert message informing the public that China's government had just launched a satellite with its trajectory passing through airspace over southern Taiwan at 3:04 p.m. Tuesday.
Though the message said "satellite" in Chinese, the English translation of the message was: "Missile flyover Taiwan airspace, be aware."
The MND later apologized, saying the English version was mistaken.
In response, KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) demanded that the DPP clarify the standard it adopts for issuing such warnings, alleging that the party is exhibiting inconsistent behavior in situations that may surpass the severity of a satellite launch, on the sidelines of a press conference in New Taipei.
Hou was referring to the MND's lack of response on Aug. 4, 2022, to the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) firing of nine missiles -- five landing in waters in Japan's exclusive economic zone, and four of the five flying over Taiwan -- after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan on Aug. 2-3.
The public only became aware of the incident after Japan's Defense Ministry made the news public, and Taiwan's MND explained later that the missiles posed no dangers to the vast ground area they flew over during the trajectory.
The MND also defended its decision not to set off air raid alerts at the time, saying in a statement that its surveillance and reconnaissance system accurately grasped the missiles' trajectory and felt they posed no harm to Taiwan proper.
Another reason for not releasing more information, such as on the flight paths of the PLA-launched missiles, was to protect the military's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, the statement said.
Following the alarm on Tuesday, KMT's vice presidential candidate Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康) accused the DPP of threatening Taiwanese voters just days ahead of the presidential election, which falls on Jan. 13.
"There are strong grounds to suspect that at times, it's not the Chinese communists attempting to meddle in the elections, but rather the DPP engaging in such interference," Jaw also told media in New Taipei.
Meanwhile, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said during his campaign tour in Tainan that it was vital for the government to review its standard operating procedures in handling such a matter.
He also called for the establishment of a "hotline" between Taipei and Beijing similar to the Moscow-Washington link during the Cold War to allow for direct communication between leaders.
Tuesday's blunder confirmed the lack of a fundamental communication mechanism between both sides of the Taiwan Strait, which could lead to misjudgments in crucial moments and trigger crises, Ko said.
While the opposition parties also questioned if it was necessary for the government to issue a national alert over a satellite launch in the first place, the DPP administration defended its decision.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said on her Facebook page that even though the satellite was at an altitude outside the atmosphere, the alert was meant to keep everyone updated and minimize potential safety risks.
"This demonstrates the essence of a democratic society, which emphasizes openness and transparency," she said.
Tsai was presenting government policies to senior citizens in Kaohsiung when the alarm sounded, after which she corrected the information and assured the attendees by saying "It's alright, the president is here and is always standing by all of you."
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), meanwhile, stood by the MND's decision and said the government has the responsibility to inform the public so that they could stay alert over the rocket flyover because its debris could fall onto Taiwan's soil.
Answering questions about the alert during a legislative session Tuesday, Chen said that a rocket launch could have chosen a different trajectory and he asked why the Chinese side chose to fly the satellite over southern Taiwan airspace.
"That is the question China should answer," he said, in response to accusations from a KMT lawmaker that the government had issued the alert to intimidate the Taiwanese public and interfere in the upcoming election.
(By Wen Kuei-hsiang, Kao Hua-chien, Lin Ching-yin, Chung Yu-chen and Lee Hsin-Yin)
Enditem/ASG
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