In Case of Chinese Attack, Spy Chief Doubts Taiwan Would Last Month
(Taipei Times, Taiwan)
"The Defense Ministry, which has a better understanding of
the military strength of both sides, and has said that Taiwan’s military would
be able to withstand a Chinese attack for one month. However, whether the
nation is capable of holding out for a month also depends on the public's will
to resist an invasion. If everyone wants to leave, we may not be able to hold
out for a month."
--
Tsai Der-sheng, Taiwan's National Security Bureau
Taiwan spy chief Tsai Der-sheng has had to disagree with the nation's defense minister over the question of how long Taiwan could withstand a Chinese invasion without U.S. assistance. In testimony before the Legislative Yuan, Defense Minister Yen Ming said the nation could survive for a month. Tsai says that all depends on whether the man on the street also resists.
Director
of the National
Security Bureau Tsai Der-sheng (蔡得勝) yesterday
contradicted Defense Minister Yen Ming (嚴明) on the issue
of how long the country could withstand a Chinese attack.
Yen
said last week that in the event of a Chinese invasion, Taiwan could survive "at
least one month," without help from the United States, adding that the
estimate was based on conclusions drawn from various war games.
Tsai
commented on Yen's remark in answer to a question from Kuomintang Legislator Chien Tung-ming (簡東明) during a Foreign
Affairs and National Defense Committee hearing at the Legislative Yuan.
"The
Defense Ministry, which has a better understanding of the military strength of
both sides, has said that Taiwan’s military would be able to withstand a
Chinese attack for a month. However, whether the nation is capable of holding
out for a month also depends on the public's will to resist an invasion. If
everyone wants to leave, we may not be able to hold out for a month," Tsai
said.
He
added that inmodern warfare, events proceed very quickly, unlike during World War I or II.
Meanwhile,
in regard to the Legislative Yuan’s review of the cross-strait trade
agreement on services slated to begin tomorrow, Tsai said that any
additional cross-strait interaction runs the risk of compromising national
security, as China would attempt to infiltrate Taiwan.
He added that last month, the bureau made a security assessment and
has taken necessary precautions with all related government agencies, but that the
risks were minimal at present. He said the assessment was sent to the Legislative Yuan last week.
Democratic
Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said that 784
Chinese are known to have overstayed their visas, with the number of illegal
Chinese in the country, if one adds those that have been smuggled in, now amounting to over 1,000. Tsai Huang-liang said such Chinese are in every part of the country, and pose considerable risk to society and national security.
When
asked if the National Security Bureau could get an accurate number of Chinese nationals in Taiwan, Tsai Der-sheng said that if the Bureau had no reason to know the
whereabouts of a Chinese national, then it didn't keep tabs on them, although he did offer to look into the issue.
"We
will attempt to find their locations and residences in order to do our best to
maintain security," Tsai Der-sheng said.
