Defense minister considers Taiping missile placement

CGA Minister Wang Ginn-wang (王進旺) added that his administration and the MND began a two-month combat-readiness evaluation at the island earlier this month.

“We will decide if more Coast Guard officers should be stationed there or more advanced weaponry should be purchased and deployed on the island following the evaluation,” said Wang yesterday during a legislative session.

The CGA minister made the comment in response to Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu's remark the previous day. Kao voiced support for a plan to deploy missiles on the largest island in the Spratlys archipelago after a ruling Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker has called for strengthening of the military presence there.

During a question-and-answer session Wednesday in the Legislative Yuan, KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) asked Kao if the MND is considering deploying the Tien Chien I “Sky Sword” missiles on the island to beef up defensive capability.

In response, Kao said if the CGA, which is currently responsible for defending Taiping, needs any new weapon systems, it could earmark a budget to procure them, and the military would support the procurement.

When asked to comment yesterday, Wang said that the current military facilities the Coast Guard has on the island are capable of defense, as shown in the ongoing combat readiness evaluation.

But he also admitted that there is only a small number of Coast Guard personnel, around 100, stationed at the island, which is 1,384 kilometers southeast of Kaohsiung.

The 0.49 square kilometer small island also lacks higher mountains which can be used for defense, making it difficult for the CGA defensively and causing logistical problems, Wang noted.

Six countries — Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines — all claim total or partial sovereignty over the South China Sea.

Taiwan controls the Dongsha Islands, the largest island group in the South China Sea, as well as Taiping Island.

Taiwan's Coast Guard has had personnel stationed on Taiping since the marines pulled out in 1999.

Diplomatic Approach

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it has been continuously negotiating with all parties involved in the South China Sea through various channels in the hope of peacefully resolving the sovereignty dispute there.

James Tien (田中光), director-general of the MOFA's Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs told reporters that Taiwan's representative offices have been reaffirming Taiwan's sovereignty over the South China Sea and the island groups to related countries.

When asked to comment if any countries have protested over the Kao's previous day remark on putting missiles on Taiping for defensive reason, Tien said no such complaints have been received so far.

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