Military alert amid talk of new China strategy

The military remains on alert following comments made online that China was simulating a military strategy aimed at removing Taiwan’s leadership, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said yesterday.

Military enthusiast Joseph Wen (溫約瑟) yesterday wrote online that a bombing range in Alxa Left Banner in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region in northern China, has a similar layout to Taipei’s Boai Special District (博愛特區).

There is a high concentration of ministries and other government buildings in Boai Special District. The Presidential Office Building is in the center of the district.

Any country with the ambition and wherewithal to do so would build facilities that simulate its target, Chiu said.

Taiwan would also do so if it had the space for such facilities, he added.

The alleged site is a warning, and the military would be on guard for such strategies, Chiu said.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has previously made mockups of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei, he said.

Instead of worrying about the possibility of such attacks and strategies, the military’s task is to plan for the worst, Chiu said.

The military will continue to train as before and react accordingly, Chiu said.

Asked about tensions in the South China Sea, Chiu said that he is not a man of empty words and would be ready, regardless of any developments in the region.

Chiu said he was unaware of the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ announcement that it was preparing a wartime network.

However, he would speak with the Ministry of Digital Affairs to determine whether such a network would be included in this year’s Han Kuang exercises, Chiu said.

Asked about former National Security Council secretary-general Ting Yu-chou’s (丁渝洲) suggestion that the military should set war termination criteria, Chiu said he would not comment on others people’s opinions.

“The military’s termination criteria are that we will go as far as the other side is willing to,” he said, adding that he does not personally consider that a criterion for ending a war.

Whether the government should set such criteria is above his pay grade, he added.

Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Chang Chi-kai (張啟

楷) asked Chiu whether he would change his answer if President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) or presidentelect William Lai (賴清德) posed the same question.

Chiu said he knew his role and place and would state his answer accordingly, but no one has asked him such a question yet.

It is best to refrain from starting a war and fight cautiously, Chiu said, adding that there are no winners in wars.