Lai inspects joint missile live-fire drills

IMPROVEMENTS: The government has been integrating the coast guard into defense planning, with one new frigate and nine new patrol boats to be deployed next year

President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday inspected joint precision missile live-fire drills at the Jioupeng Base (九鵬基地) in Pingtung County, where multiple types of attack drones took part in joint combat exercises for the first time.

The three-day drills, which concluded yesterday, featured indigenous Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile systems, Tien Kung III surface-to-air missile systems and US M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, footage released by the Presidential Office showed.

The drills were the first time multiple types of attack drones had been incorporated into joint combat exercises, Lai told military personnel.

A missile is launched during drills inspected by President William William Lai at base in Pingtung County on Friday.

Photo: AP via the Presidential Office

“The coordinated use of uncrewed vehicles and conventional weapons showed that the military is accelerating efforts to strengthen its overall combat capabilities,” Lai said. “It also demonstrated to the people and the international community that the armed forces have confidence in their ability to defend national sovereignty and fulfill their responsibility to maintain regional peace and stability.”

Units carried out joint air defense, counterstrike, sea-air coordination, coastal strikes and nearshore defense operations during the drills, he said, praising the personnel for their performance.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense said a Chinese military drone flew from Taiwan’s southwestern airspace to waters off Taitung between 12:05am and 6am yesterday morning to monitor the exercise.

President William Lai, left, poses for a photograph with soldiers during an inspection of a missile base in Pingtung County on Friday.

Photo: AP via the Presidential Office

As the timing coincided with Lai’s inspection of the exercise, the military closely monitored the drone and deployed aircraft, naval vessels and land-based missile systems, it said.

Lai has made defense modernization a key part of his agenda, given the rising threat from China, including by developing drones and spending more on defense, something US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressed allies to do.

Lai yesterday was accompanied on his visit by Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄), other senior security officials and Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲), whose agency runs the Coast Guard Administration (CGA).

The government has been working to better integrate the CGA into overall defense planning, as it would have an auxiliary role to the navy in case of a war.

During the main annual war games last month, a coast guard ship was fitted with anti-ship missiles.

Separately yesterday, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), while inspecting plans for the construction of new facilities for the Matsu Coast Guard Patrol Team, announced that in addition to improving compensation for six categories of CGA personnel, the government would also improve the agency’s equipment.

Next year, one 1,000-tonne patrol frigate, three 100-tonne patrol boats and six 35-tonne patrol boats would be deployed for maritime patrol and security operations, he said.

The government has also allocated NT$1.93 billion (US$60.68 million) to build a 2,000-tonne ocean-going patrol vessel, as well as NT$140 million to enhance special operations equipment, to improve the effectiveness of efforts to combat smuggling and human trafficking operations, he said.

Additional reporting by Reuters, Chung Li-hua and Lo Tien-pin