Latest news with #TaiwanGovernment
CNA
a day ago
- Politics
- CNA
Taiwan coast guard, military drill to better face China's 'grey zone' threat
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan: Taiwan's coast guard held drills with the military on Sunday (Jun 8) to better practice joint operations in the face of what the government in Taipei says is a growing "grey zone" threat from China, which claims the island as its own territory. Democratically governed Taiwan has repeatedly complained about activities such as undersea cable cutting and sand dredging by China around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation. It is often Taiwan's coast guard that scrambles first to respond. The drills in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, overseen by President Lai Ching-te, simulated the seizing of a ferry by "international terrorists". The coast guard worked with an interior ministry rescue helicopter and army medevac helicopter to board and take back control of the boat and evacuate casualties. A navy anti-submarine helicopter flew over the scene as the drill ended, along with the medevac and rescue helicopters, the first time they have flown together in such a scenario, the coast guard said. "Taiwan has been facing constant grey intrusion from China, but our coast guard colleagues have always been on the front line to enforce the law and protect the lives and safety of the people of Taiwan," Lai told the audience for the drills, which included the top US diplomat in Kaohsiung, Neil Gibson. "The government will continue to consolidate the strength of all departments and strengthen the resilience of the entire society to defend national security and safeguard Taiwan's democracy and freedom," Lai said. Taiwan's coast guard, which would be pressed into military service in the event of war with China, is also routinely sent out to shadow Chinese ships during Beijing's war games around the island. The coast guard, like the navy, is in the midst of an expansion and modernisation programme. Its new Anping-class corvettes, which began being commissioned in 2020, are based on the navy's Tuo Chiang-class warships. They are state-of-the-art, highly manoeuvrable stealth vessels meant to take out larger warships while operating close to Taiwan's shores. The Anping-class ships, one of which took part in the drill, have space for launchers for the Taiwan-made Hsiung Feng anti-ship and sea-to-land missiles, as well as added equipment for rescue operations.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Taiwan coast guard, military drill to better face China's 'grey zone' threat
By Ben Blanchard KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (Reuters) -Taiwan's coast guard held drills with the military on Sunday to better practice joint operations in the face of what the government in Taipei says is a growing "grey zone" threat from China, which claims the island as its own territory. Democratically governed Taiwan has repeatedly complained about activities such as undersea cable cutting and sand dredging by China around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation. It is often Taiwan's coast guard that scrambles first to respond. The drills in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, overseen by President Lai Ching-te, simulated the seizing of a ferry by "international terrorists". The coast guard worked with an interior ministry rescue helicopter and army medevac helicopter to board and take back control of the boat and evacuate casualties. A navy anti-submarine helicopter flew over the scene as the drill ended, along with the medevac and rescue helicopters, the first time they have flown together in such a scenario, the coast guard said. "Taiwan has been facing constant grey intrusion from China, but our coast guard colleagues have always been on the front line to enforce the law and protect the lives and safety of the people of Taiwan," Lai told the audience for the drills, which included the top U.S. diplomat in Kaohsiung, Neil Gibson. "The government will continue to consolidate the strength of all departments and strengthen the resilience of the entire society to defend national security and safeguard Taiwan's democracy and freedom," Lai said. Taiwan's coast guard, which would be pressed into military service in the event of war with China, is also routinely sent out to shadow Chinese ships during Beijing's war games around the island. The coast guard, like the navy, is in the midst of an expansion and modernisation programme. Its new Anping-class corvettes, which began being commissioned in 2020, are based on the navy's Tuo Chiang-class warships. They are state-of-the-art, highly manoeuvrable stealth vessels meant to take out larger warships while operating close to Taiwan's shores. The Anping-class ships, one of which took part in the drill, have space for launchers for the Taiwan-made Hsiung Feng anti-ship and sea-to-land missiles, as well as added equipment for rescue operations. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
News24
5 days ago
- General
- News24
Taiwan president hails courage of Tiananmen Square demonstrators: ‘We refuse to forget history'
The world will not forget the Tiananmen Square crackdown, said Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. On 4 June 1989, Chinese troops opened fire to end student-led pro-democracy protests. China has never provided a full death toll. The world will never forget China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Taiwan's president and the top US diplomat said on the 36th anniversary of an event Beijing treats as taboo and allows no public remembrance. The events on and around the central Beijing square on 4 June 1989 when Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led pro-democracy protests, are not publicly discussed in China and the anniversary is not officially marked. Public commemorations take place in overseas cities including Taipei where senior Taiwan government leaders often use the anniversary to criticise China and urge it to face up to what it did. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, in a post on Facebook on Wednesday, praised the courage of those who took part in the protests, saying human rights are a concept shared by Taiwan and other democracies that transcend generations and borders. READ | China escalates military pressure on Taiwan with 'more provocative' aircraft carriers, ships 'The commemoration of the June 4 Tiananmen incident is not only to mourn history, but also to perpetuate this memory,' said Lai, who Beijing detests as a 'separatist' and has rejected his repeated offers of talks. 'Authoritarian governments often choose to silence and forget history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who gave their lives - and their dreams - to the idea of human rights,' he added. Not only do we refuse to forget history, we will implement our core values every day. Lai Ching-te US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday praised the courage of the Chinese people who were killed in the bloody crackdown. 'Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989,' Rubio said in a statement. 'The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget,' he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. The United States, in its commemoration of the Tiananmen protests in 1989, 'distorted' historical facts and attacked China's political system, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday. China has lodged a complaint to the US side, Lin Jian, spokesperson at the Chinese ministry, said at a regular news conference. Johannes Neudecker/picture alliance via Getty Images Australia marked the anniversary saying that Canberra remains committed to protecting and supporting human rights including freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of political participation. 'On this day, we join communities around the world to remember the loss of life at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989,' Australia's Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gareth Williams, said in a post on X. Before dawn on 4 June 1989, Chinese tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, crushing weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations by students and workers. Peter Parks/AFP China has never provided a full death toll, but rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into thousands. China blamed the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the ruling Communist Party. Security around the square was tightened on Tuesday with increased police presence. Police officers set up multiple checkpoints for identification checks on motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, and also prevented people from taking photographs near the square. There was no discussion about the historic event on Chinese social media, which are heavily censored by authorities. The Tiananmen Mothers, which represents relatives of those killed, put out this week their annual statement calling for a public accounting of what happened. 'The executioners of that year have passed away one after another, but as the continuation of the ruling party, the current government has a responsibility to respond to and address the Tiananmen Massacre,' Zhang Xianling, whose son Wang Nan was killed, said in a video message. Peter Parks/AFP In Hong Kong, where thousands used to gather to mark the anniversary before China's imposition of a national security law in 2020, security was tight around Victoria Park, the site of the previous mass candlelight vigils. Hong Kong's leader John Lee said on Tuesday police would take stringent enforcement actions against any acts endangering national security. A performance artist was forced to leave the vicinity of the park and a shop selling small white candles was raided by customs officials on Tuesday. One jailed pro-democracy activist, Chow Hang-tung, is staging a 36-hour hunger strike in prison to mark the anniversary.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
China accuses Taiwan of cyberattack on tech company
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese public security authorities in the city of Guangzhou have attributed a cyberattack on an unnamed technology company to the Taiwan government, a statement showed on Tuesday. The foreign hacker organisation behind the attack was "supported by" Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), authorities in the capital of Guangdong province said, based on an initial police investigation. The DPP is the ruling party in Taiwan. The Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Reuters
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
China accuses Taiwan of cyberattack on tech company
BEIJING, May 27 (Reuters) - Chinese public security authorities in the city of Guangzhou have attributed a cyberattack on an unnamed technology company to the Taiwan government, a statement showed on Tuesday. The foreign hacker organisation behind the attack was "supported by" Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), authorities in the capital of Guangdong province said, based on an initial police investigation. The DPP is the ruling party in Taiwan. The Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
