Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo Li-Hsiung appeared today before the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee to deliver a special report entitled “Armed Forces Human Resources Policies and Future Response Plans amid the Impact of the Declining Birth Rate” and answer legislators’ questions. Before the session, Minister Koo spoke to the media about issues of public concern, including recent PLA military activity, the safety of food supplied to the Armed Forces, precision missile exercises, and defense budget allocations.
Asked about the model of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) recently test-fired by the PLA in the Pacific and the extent to which the Armed Forces had tracked the launch, Minister Koo stated unequivocally that the entire process had been closely monitored through joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and diverse intelligence channels. Available intelligence indicated that the missile was likely a JL-2. Minister Koo said that although the missile did not pass through Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, such actions by China undermine regional peace and stability and have drawn condemnation from numerous countries, further demonstrating that China is indeed a “troublemaker” in the region. The Armed Forces will continue working closely with friendly and allied nations to monitor relevant developments and take appropriate measures.
Addressing recent movements by PLA aircraft carriers, including reports that the Fujian had appeared near the Paracel Islands and that Japan’s Self-Defense Forces were continuing to monitor the Liaoning, Minister Koo said that according to information available to the Armed Forces, the Fujian had recently left port primarily to avoid the typhoon and would return to its home port once the storm had passed. The Liaoning, meanwhile, had sailed to the Bohai Sea to conduct routine training, including carrier-based aircraft takeoffs and landings.
Regarding the safety of food supplied to the Armed Forces, Minister Koo responded to questions about the investigation into potentially carcinogenic cooking oil and the extent of its distribution. He stressed that the health and food safety of service members have always been among the Armed Forces’ highest priorities. As soon as the Ministry received the relevant information, it immediately ordered the precautionary withdrawal of the oil products concerned from all military units. When the Ministry of Health and Welfare subsequently released a second-tier list of potentially affected products, the Armed Forces promptly withdrew all items on that list as well. The Ministry will continue sending all related oil products to professional institutions for testing and will make every effort to safeguard the health and food safety of military personnel.
Finally, the media asked about the results of the previous day’s man-portable Stinger missile exercise at the Jiupeng Military Base and whether funding for the Strong Bow missile system would be included in plans to build the “Taiwan Dome.” Minister Koo said that all annual precision-munition exercises, including the Divine Bow and Divine Eagle exercises, are conducted rigorously in accordance with established plans and have achieved highly satisfactory results. The Ministry will incorporate funding for the development and enhancement of defensive weapon systems into its overall planning, assess requirements comprehensively, and allocate resources appropriately to build robust defense capabilities.