The US State Department emphasised that ensuring Taiwan’s defence is crucial for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait…reports Asian Lite News
The US has reiterated its commitment to Taiwan’s defence, pledging to continue supplying the island with essential military equipment and services to bolster its self-defence capabilities.
This assurance was reaffirmed at the annual US-Taiwan Defence Industry Conference, which commenced in Philadelphia on Sunday, showcasing the depth of defence cooperation between the two democracies, VOA News reported.
The conference, organised by the US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC), comes at a critical time as Taiwan faces increasing threats from China, which views the self-governing island as a breakaway province.
The US State Department, citing the Taiwan Relations Act, emphasised that ensuring Taiwan’s defence is crucial for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Despite China’s repeated objections, the United States has maintained that its arms sales to Taiwan are guided by the Taiwan Relations Act and other US laws, not by Beijing’s pressure.
“We will continue to work with industry to support Taiwan’s self-defence in line with our long-standing policies,” a US State Department spokesperson said, underscoring that Washington’s “One China” policy has not changed but is based on peaceful resolution.
Adding to the tensions, China recently announced sanctions against nine US firms in retaliation for Washington’s defence support to Taiwan, including a USD 228 million package of spare parts for Taiwan’s air force.
China has stressed that US military sales undermine China’s sovereignty, issuing a warning of “strong measures” to defend its territorial integrity, according to VOA News report.
However, Taiwan has continued to resist China’s aggressive posture. Its democratic government, supported by defence ties with the US, has been preparing to deter a Chinese invasion, a scenario that USTBC President Rupert Hammond-Chambers highlighted at the conference, according to VOA News report.
“This is the most important annual gathering on US-Taiwan defence relations,” Hammond-Chambers said, underscoring the significance of continued US support.
The recent phishing cyberattack targeting the USTBC underscores the lengths to which malicious actors, possibly aligned with China, are willing to go to disrupt ties between the US and China.
While China has never ruled Taiwan, it continues to place military and economic pressure, sending warplanes near Taiwan’s airspace in an attempt to intimidate the island into submission.
Despite these provocations, Taiwan’s resolve remains firm, backed by US support that ensures Sri Lanka can continue defending its autonomy against an increasingly hostile neighbour. (ANI)
Chinese rocket carrying satellite passes over Taiwan
A Chinese rocket carrying a satellite passed through the eastern part of Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday morning, Taiwan News reported.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) said the rocket was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi at 10:33 am (local time).
The satellite flew south towards the Yellow Sea, flying over eastern Taiwan, and then headed towards the waters east of the Philippines, according to Taiwan’s MND.
It further said that the altitude of the rocket was outside the atmosphere and posed no threat to Taiwan. Taiwan’s MND said it monitored the rocket’s launch and took appropriate precautionary steps, according to Taiwan News report.
Earlier in the day, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) said that six Chinese naval vessels were detected around Taiwan between 6 am (local time) on Monday and 6 am (local time) on Tuesday.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND), Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) activity. No PLA aircraft were tracked in Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In a post on X, Taiwan’s MND stated, “6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly. Today’s illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operation around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe.”
Earlier in January, China launched the Einstein Probe satellite from Sichuan province. The Chinese satellite flew over Taiwan’s southern airspace, Taiwan News report.
China said the Einstein Probe was a small satellite made for high-energy astrophysics and astronomy research. The satellite was a joint project between the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the European Space Agency, and Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, according to Taiwan News report.
At the time, Taiwan Space Agency Deputy Director Chu Chung-hui said that the satellite launch did not appear to prioritise safety. Chu said that due to multiple segments detaching during the launch of the satellite, they could potentially fall anywhere, posing a safety concern. He added that China does not appear to pay attention to these kinds of issues. (ANI)
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