MNA

Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School held its “50th Anniversary Celebration” today. Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo Li-hsiung presided over the event. Minister Koo encouraged all students to cultivate character, study diligently, build strong physiques, and develop an international perspective. He also expressed appreciation and gratitude to outstanding alumni from previous generations, as well as to the teachers and staff who had dedicated themselves to the school’s development. During the celebration assembly, graduates from the three services’ military academies who had studied at Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School were specially invited to return to their alma mater to participate in the military parade. They reviewed the troops together with current students, demonstrating the spirit of passing on the torch. Subsequently, the alumni drum and bugle corps and the Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School color guard and marching band delivered splendid performances, creating a lively atmosphere. In conjunction with the anniversary, the school also held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the school history museum, presenting the school’s founding history and serving as an important platform for deepening school history education and strengthening alumni bonds. Minister Koo specially commended 12 outstanding alumni and the junior high and senior high school students selected as “Chung Cheng Youth,” praising their outstanding achievements in different fields and academic performance. These not only inspired the students at the school but also served as role models for everyone to emulate. Minister Koo stated that Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School was not only an institution for imparting knowledge but also an important cradle for shaping character, cultivating discipline, and fostering team spirit. He proposed three points for students to strive toward — “cultivate character and study diligently,” “build strong physiques,” and “develop a global perspective” — encouraging them to cultivate a sense of responsibility and independent thinking, forge strong physiques and resilient willpower, while paying attention to international affairs, developing foreign language abilities, and broadening their macro vision to become modern military talents with an international perspective. “The key to Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School moving into the next 50 years lies with all of you.” Minister Koo emphasized that the Ministry of National Defense would continue to improve educational quality, optimize the learning environment, and deepen military professionalism and technological literacy, making the school an important cradle for nurturing future generals and core officers of the ROC Armed Forces. At the same time, he encouraged everyone to work together so that the military could continue to progress and jointly build a more elite and modernized ROC Armed Forces.

Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien presided today over the Republic of China 2026 “All-Out Defense Education – Social Education” Seed Instructor Training Workshop. On behalf of Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung, he welcomed participants from various sectors and encouraged them to strengthen teaching capabilities through professional study, expand the foundation for promoting all-out defense education, build consensus among the public, and enhance Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience. The workshop was held this morning at the Bo’ai Camp. All-out defense affairs personnel recommended by various county and city governments, along with scholars from civil society, participated in the training. The curriculum covered topics such as “National Defense Policy,” “International Situation,” “Media Literacy,” and “All-Out Defense.” Experts and scholars including Director Su Tzu-yun and Researcher Lee Che-chuan from the Institute for National Defense and Security Research were invited to deliver special lectures and analyses. In addition, the Department of Strategic Planning explained the “Special Act on Defense Procurement,” enabling participants to understand its importance to overall national defense. Vice Minister Hsu stated that, facing the future task of promoting all-out defense education, seed instructors had to clearly convey national defense concepts to the public, explaining “why we fought and for whom we fought” — that was, to safeguard the homeland, protect their way of life, and ensure the safety of the 23 million people in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu, while clearly recognizing the current security challenges. Vice Minister Hsu pointed out that the war in Ukraine had shown that national defense did not rely solely on military combat power; the key had lain in the will of the entire population to defend the country. Only through the joint participation of the whole society could overall defense strength be formed. He also emphasized that war depended not only on weapons and equipment but also required strong will and resilience to effectively respond to various challenges. Vice Minister Hsu further explained that the forms of modern warfare had evolved rapidly, and unmanned systems had become a key element in operations. Taiwan had possessed advantages in the relevant industry supply chain, particularly holding a critical position in the “non-red supply chain,” and should continue to strengthen development capabilities. At the same time, as Taiwan had been located at the core of the First Island Chain, it had needed to enhance overall defense capabilities in response to changes in the regional situation. Regarding the special defense budget, Vice Minister Hsu pointed out that the relevant planning had been carefully formulated based on overall operational requirements and had covered areas such as strike firepower, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, command and control operations, and sustained combat capabilities. He emphasized that all military buildup elements had to be constructed holistically and work in coordination to effectively enhance national defense combat power. Vice Minister Hsu stressed that the allocation of the special budget had been based on overall national defense development needs and coordinated with domestic industry capabilities. Through stable planning and long-term investment, it had strengthened defense self-reliance and supply chain resilience, ensuring the continuous advancement of military buildup and readiness.

The Ministry of National Defense held the “Artificial Intelligence Governance Committee Special Lecture and ROC Armed Forces AI Development Concept Seminar” yesterday (April 8) at the Bo’ai Camp. Vice Minister for Policy Hsu Szu-chien presided over the event and invited National Security Council Advisor Li Yu-chieh to provide guidance. Participants included members of the Ministry’s Artificial Intelligence Governance Committee (unit heads), commands of the three services, the National Defense University, and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. The goal was to draw on practical experience from industry and academia to enhance the AI literacy of the ROC Armed Forces and lay a foundation for promoting AI development in national defense. In his remarks, Vice Minister Hsu stated that lectures only provided inspiration, while implementation was the key. He encouraged commanders at all levels to shift from passive to active approaches and actively apply diverse AI technologies. The Ministry of National Defense fully supported each unit in advancing their projects, hoping that through AI technology, administrative operational efficiency could be effectively improved and new momentum could be injected into the modernization of the ROC Armed Forces. The special lecture invited Dr. Chen Ling-Jyh, Director of the Department of Information Technology Services, Academia Sinica and Chief Executive Officer of the Taiwan AI Academy, to speak on the topic “Winning the Future: AI Literacy, Practice, and Security.” He explained the evolution of AI development from “perception” to “physical embodiment” and shared Academia Sinica’s practical experience, including how they built a “Large Language Model (LLM)” under strict cybersecurity controls, and how they developed speech recognition transcription systems, question-and-answer robots, and document verification tools to effectively resolve pain points in public administration and simplify operational processes. Regarding military applications, Dr. Chen specifically proposed the “Nine Reminders for Promoting Defense AI,” which covered core concepts such as infrastructure resilience and human-machine collaboration. He also explained the risks and challenges of introducing AI, reminding all units to establish mechanisms for verifying the authenticity of information and to strictly prevent the leakage of sensitive data. At the same time, he emphasized that introducing AI technology was an urgent and important task. Only by accelerating the implementation and application of the technology could the digital transformation of the ROC Armed Forces be effectively strengthened. The Ministry of National Defense stated that the AI Project Office’s organization of this special lecture and comprehensive seminar helped integrate common needs across units and initiated the process of advancing the ROC Armed Forces toward digital development.

Vice Minister for Policy Hsu Szu-Chien stated today that the “Special Act on Procurement for Strengthening Defense Resilience and Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities” was proposed in response to enemy threats and joint operations requirements. The overall planning covered capability construction in strike, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance, command and control, unmanned systems, and sustained combat capabilities. These various capabilities were interdependent and could not be arbitrarily reduced or postponed. He hoped that all political parties would jointly support national defense buildup and the enhancement of defense resilience. The Executive Yuan held a press conference after its meeting this morning, during which Vice Minister Hsu explained issues related to the special defense act. Vice Minister Hsu pointed out that this special budget adopted a one-time, large-scale investment approach. In addition to accelerating combat power acquisition, it could also provide long-term stable demand for domestic industries and drive the development of unmanned systems and the national defense industry. If the budget were changed to annual allocations, it would affect the military buildup timeline and the effectiveness of equipment integration. Regarding military procurement progress, Vice Minister Hsu stated that the relevant military procurement cases had all completed preliminary coordination with the U.S. side and obtained formal letters of supply assurance. The Ministry of National Defense would continue to maintain close communication and coordination with the U.S. side to ensure smooth advancement of all procurement cases. In addition, Vice Minister Hsu emphasized that promoting large-scale and long-term procurement of unmanned systems and related equipment through the special budget would not only help rapidly enhance combat power but also assist domestic manufacturers in investing in research and development and production capacity building, thereby strengthening defense self-reliance and supply chain resilience.

On presiding over the inauguration ceremony of the “New Medical Building” at the Taichung Armed Forces General Hospital today, Vice Minister of National Defense General Chung Shu-ming emphasized that the completion of this building symbolized an overall upgrade in medical services in Taiping area, enabling local residents and service members to enjoy the highest quality and most comprehensive medical care at the Taichung Armed Forces General Hospital. Vice Minister Chung, accompanied by Navy Administrative Deputy Minister of Vice Admiral Huang Yu-min, Medical Affairs Bureau Director-General Lieutenant General Tsai Chien-sung, presided over the building inauguration ceremony this morning. After receiving a briefing, Vice Minister Chung offered guidance on enhancing medical capacity. Vice Minister Chung pointed out that “holistic patient care” as its core principle, the new Medical Building fully incorporated smart green building to optimize medical workflows and operational spaces. The hospital featured modular operating rooms and intelligent nursing stations equipped with digital electronic whiteboards, smart bedside cards, and bedside service systems, creating a safe and efficient medical environment. Since 2016, the Ministry of National Defense has promoted the “Soaring Medicine Project,” and the results are now evident. The completion of this new building represents an important milestone in the military medical system’s modernization and smart healthcare transformation. During the inspection of the new building, Vice Minister Chung interacted cordially with military medical personnel and specially encouraged them with the mottos “history, responsibility, mission,” urging them to inherit the excellent tradition, shoulder the responsibility of caring for comrades, and take safeguarding public health as their highest mission. Vice Minister Chung reminded military medical cadres, “Military medical personnel should treat patients as family,” whenever service members suffer major injuries or illnesses, the entire military feels deep sorrow, and therefore he expects the military medical system to play a pivotal role in providing the most timely and professional medical assistance. In addition, during his remarks at the ceremony, Vice Minister Chung praised Lieutenant General Tsai Chien-sung, Director-General of the Medical Affairs Bureau, who was to retire with honor on February 1. Vice Minister Chung referred to Director-General Tsai as his “good classmate” and stated that during his more than three years as Director-General, he led sustained improvements in the military medical system, achieving a balance between “field military medicine in combat theater command” and “civilian medical care” in both peacetime and wartime, making indispensable contributions to military medicine. Vice Minister Chung invited all attending guests to give Director-General Tsai a warm round of applause on the spot, publicly commending his noble spirit of dedication to medical practice. Vice Minister Chung retraced Director-General Tsai’s tenure, during which he not only promoted the transformation of the National Defense Medical Center into National Defense Medical University, established forward surgical teams, and deepened exchanges with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command for talent cultivation, but also, with a spirit of “selflessness and dedication,” let the world see Taiwan’s medical technology. He encouraged all personnel to inherit this spirit and jointly build resilient, high-quality medical capabilities.

On the eve of the September 3 Armed Forces Day, the Chinese Culture Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense Military News Agency, officially released the latest episode of Artisan Spirit titled “Dog Power Unleashed” today. This episode features the highly popular “K9” military dog unit on social media, taking viewers behind the scenes of military dogs’ daily lives, from training processes and duties to retirement mechanisms. Wearing specialized vests and dog boots, “K9” (a homophone of the English word “canine”) is the universal term used by countries worldwide for military and police dogs. The Military Police Command’s Guard Battalion Military Dog Unit is responsible for venue security inspections at the Presidential Office, locations visited by the head of state, and major event sites. It is the only unit in the ROC Armed Forces that employs dogs to perform counter-terrorism explosive detection tasks. Handlers and military dogs work in close partnership to search for and neutralize potential threats such as explosives, ensuring the safety of key locations and personnel. “These spirited explosive detection dogs were once adorable, fluffy puppies.” Military dog trainer Staff Sergeant Wang Po-min explained that training for Military Police dogs mostly begins at the Ministry of Finance Customs Administration’s Drug Detection Dog Training Center. Since 2018, the ROC Armed Forces have collaborated with the center, selecting Labrador Retrievers as the breed for training. From birth, puppies undergo gradual training: using games to develop their sense of smell and exploration instincts, learning to adapt to different environments, and gradually building positive foundations through companionship and encouragement, preparing them for future missions. To enhance social adaptability, puppies between two months and one year of age are placed with foster families. These families take them to schools, train stations, parks, and other public places to familiarize them with crowds and environments. After reaching one year of age, the dogs are assigned to different units. This socialization phase determines whether the dogs will be able to successfully perform important tasks in the future. Staff Sergeant Wang stated that a well-known saying in military dog training is “Trust Your Dog,” meaning a partnership is built through complete trust. Military dogs and their handlers are the most important work partners. The training philosophy of the military dog unit is not based on obedience but on establishing trust and rapport through games, interaction, and positive reinforcement. This relationship extends beyond duty hours; in daily life, handlers must maintain the most sincere interaction with their dogs, carefully reading the messages they convey and allowing the dogs to sustain their enthusiasm for work through a continuous sense of achievement. Episode 55 of Artisan Spirit, “Dog Power Unleashed,” premiered today at 0800 hours on the Chinese Culture Association’s Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram platforms, with simultaneous release on the Military News Agency YouTube channel.

Today, the Ministry of National Defense held the “Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in World War II and the War of Resistance Against Japan – MEMORY becomes MISSION” concert at the Taipei International Convention Center. The event specially invited veterans who participated in the war, Mr. Chang Tso-min and Mr. Chang Ying-nan, to attend in person. Minister Koo Li-hsiung personally presented commemorative badges, demonstrating the nation’s highest respect for these veterans of the War of Resistance. The concert carefully selected classic songs from various eras, combining acrobatic dancers and orchestral performances with light sculpture projections and animated visuals to create a brand-new immersive stage experience, allowing historical memory and contemporary mission to intertwine and resonate. The imagery in the performance depicted how, 80 years ago, ROC Armed Forces predecessors, embracing the conviction “If I live, the nation dies; if I die, the nation lives,” used their bodies to withstand gunfire, securing the eternal waving of the blue sky, white sun, and red earth flag. The performance content used history as the warp and exemplary figures as the weft, drawing from historical facts such as girl scout Yang Hui-min risking her life to deliver the national flag, the Flying Tigers aiding China, and the Sino-American Composite Wing in action, conveying the core spirit of “military and civilian unity, demonstrating resilience” and interpreting the historical cooperation of “allied unity, marching together,” linking Taiwan with the international community’s shared democratic values and deep friendship. The concert also specially invited the band 911 to passionately perform classic songs including “Gale Ale,” “LOCAL,” “Battlefield Legend,” and “The World Has Seen,” allowing the audience to feel the steadfast camaraderie on the battlefield and the unity and resilience demonstrated by Taiwan. At the conclusion, the National Defense University Political Warfare and Management College Choir joined the Taipei Philharmonic Youth and Children’s Choir to perform the three services’ anthems and inspirational songs, conveying to all personnel and citizens the message “I serve in the military, and I am proud,” taking pride in being service members and guardians of the homeland, demonstrating the ROC Armed Forces’ determination to pass the torch and shoulder its mission. The Ministry of National Defense stated that this concert is not only a remembrance of history but also a pledge to defend the nation. Whether in the past or present, whenever the nation faces threats, the military and civilians of the entire country have always upheld the spirit of the War of Resistance, vowing to defend the homeland to the death and yield not an inch of territory. In the face of current regional security threats, only firm conviction and national unity can perpetuate the torch of freedom and democracy. It is hoped that through this concert, the memories of the people will be reawakened, the spirit of the heroic martyrs engraved in hearts and passed down through generations, and the War of Resistance spirit of “safeguarding the Republic of China,” “military and civilian unity against the enemy,” “youth stepping forward to defend the nation,” and “allies fighting together” deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

RF-5E Decommissioning Ceremony: Formation Flight Completes Final Mission The Air Force Command held the “RF-5E Decommissioning Ceremony” at Hualien Air Base today, featuring a formation flight, static display, and screening of a documentary film. The event also specially invited pilots’ families to attend and witness the historic moment alongside service members. The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hung-Hui Pai, who presented commemorative gifts and arm patches to mission pilots and logistics personnel, expressing gratitude for their long-term commitment and professional dedication. During the event, a formation of five aircraft, consisting of three RF-5E and two F-5F aircraft, took off from Hualien Air Base, conducted an airspace patrol along the eastern sea, and passed through a water arch created by fire trucks upon landing, completing their final flight mission. A static display area was set up at the ceremony site, showcasing RF-5E and F-5F aircraft along with historical mission equipment. A documentary film was screened, reviewing the aircraft’s role transitions and achievements within the air defense system since its commissioning, highlighting its diverse applications in reconnaissance, disaster monitoring, and technological development. The RF-5E, modified from the F-5 series since 1997, was equipped with optoelectronic reconnaissance equipment and tasked with homeland surveillance, disaster assessment, and intelligence collection. It also frequently supported natural disaster response operations. Although its operational mode differed from main combat aircraft, it remained a critical mission aircraft type for the Air Force. Since their commissioning, the F-5 series aircraft have served in training, combat, and reconnaissance roles, witnessing the Air Force’s development and technological transformation. Future tactical reconnaissance missions will be undertaken by RF-16 aircraft, continuing to provide real-time air intelligence to support ROC Armed Forces’ operational planning and decision-making.

To understand the progress of various construction at the National Military Museum, Legislator SHEN, PAO-YANG, convener of the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, led a delegation today to Dazhi to inspect the new construction work of the Museum. The goal is to ensure strict adherence to the project timeline and successfully complete the overall construction mission. This morning, Legislator SHEN, PAO-YANG, convener of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, led a delegation to the construction site of the National Military Museum, accompanied by the Admin. Deputy Minister of Ministry of National Defense (MND), Lieutenant General YANG, Counselor of MND, Lieutenant General SHIH, Director of the Administration Office, Lieutenant General SUN, and other officials. In addition to receiving a briefing on the construction progress, the delegation also viewed a panoramic video presentation of the museum to gain a better understanding of the facility's planning and offered their suggestions. During the inspection, Convener SHEN toured the relevant floors in person. With detailed explanations from specialists, he reviewed the construction and supervision work step by step to understand the overall progress of each task. He emphasized that if any obstacles or risks arise, communication with the contractors must be maintained to find solutions. At the same time, dedicated personnel should be assigned to oversee the project's progress to ensure that the construction of this new National Military Museum is completed on time and with high quality.

“Logistics capability is not only the source of military strength, but also the key to combat result.” In addition to its responsibility of maintaining and repairing various general-purpose equipment for the 1st Theater of Operations, the Penghu Type B Combined Maintenance Depot also assists in the fabrication of target ships for training and exercises by applying its technical expertise. This effort has significantly enhanced both the training effectiveness of the defense zone and the overall defense and combat readiness. During the exercise conducted in the Penghu defense zone, various weapons systems will be used for live-fire drills to designated maritime targets area. Among them, tank cannons and Javelin missiles will be used in conjunction with target ships built by personnel with related specialties from the Penghu Type B Combined Maintenance Depot. These target ships not only assist shooters in aiming during the exercise but also serve to verify firing accuracy and evaluate the overall effectiveness of the drill. Three to four weeks prior to the firing mission, the target ship fabrication group at the Penghu Type B Combined Maintenance Depot begins preparatory work. Each step in the process is essential and cannot be omitted, including task assignment, material selection, angle iron cutting, piping fabrication, frame welding, and wooden panels drilling. Once all components are completed, they are assembled into the final product. Due to the large size of the target ships, the fabrication group from the Penghu Type B Combined Maintenance Depot will transport the completed components and welding equipment to the dock ahead of the exercise to carry out on-site assembly. Once assembled, the target ships are hoisted into the water using the crane of a 3.5-ton heavy-duty truck. A contracted ship company then tows the target ships to the designated firing area, where they are anchored, completing the setup of the live-fire targets area. Sergeant Major CHEN of the Penghu Type B Combined Maintenance Depot explained that to ensure the target ship’s stability and buoyancy, angle iron must be cut according to precise specifications and welded into a solid frame. In addition, holes are drilled into the wooden panels to reduce wind resistance and enhance structural stability, which are essential for withstanding the strong winds and waves in the Penghu sea area. He also noted that, since the Javelin missile uses infrared guidance, the fabrication of the target ship must include the installation of heat sources to aid the missile and shooter in tracking, targeting, and striking. Lieutenant Colonel PAN, Director of the Penghu Type B Combined Maintenance Depot, stated that during the exercises, the depot is not only responsible for ensuring the operational readiness of participating equipment, but also for verifying the effectiveness of equipment repairs and target ship fabrication carried out by the maintenance unit. These tasks test the communication and coordination skills of the personnel, as well as validate the logistical and technical expertise developed during routine operations. The depot will continue working closely with frontline combat units in the future, dedicating its efforts to the defense of the homeland.