The United States (US) and Taiwan have joined hands yet again for Island’s defence and security, this time through a virtual US-Taiwan Defence Industry Conference.
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Officials and military experts from both countries will talk about the weapons and armaments for Island’s defence against the increasing threat of China, reported SCMP.
According to the report, the Conference started on Monday, Taiwan’s deputy defence minister Chang Guan-chung addressed the meeting.
“We are developing systems that are small, numerous, smart, stealthy, fast, mobile, low-cost, survivable, effective, easy to develop, maintain and preserve, and difficult to detect and counter,” he said.
He further said that Taiwan and the US should cooperate beyond weapons sale. “We will also emphasise joint effort in training, operational concepts, capability assessment, intelligence sharing, and armament cooperation. These are equally important as the acquisition of hardware.”
The issues to be discussed in the conference range from “US defence cooperation with Taiwan, the defence procurement process and Taiwan’s defence and national security needs”, the council said, adding it also hoped to “provide opportunities to connect with others working on Taiwan defence and national security issues,” reported SCMP.
Cross-Strait relations with mainland China have been deteriorating with Beijing claiming sovereignty over the island and seeking its return to the mainland fold even by force if necessary. It has staged several drills and is firm on its motives.
Tensions escalated when two US sent two high ranking officials – Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and undersecretary of state Keith Krach to Taipei. Beijing has been warning the US to abide by the One China policy and maintain any official contact through Beijing. It described the two visits as “highly provocative”.
As a counter, Beijing has been muscle-flexing in the region by sending warplanes violating the self-governed islands’ air defence identification zone several times. Washington has pledged support to Taipei by sending warships in the region and supplying armaments to fight Beijing.
