2019/09/02
Ministry of National Defense Released a Press Release Explaining and Clarifying the Matter Regarding the Media Coverage of “Armed Forces Trying to Overthrow the Army Establishment and Combat Readiness Planning from the Former Chief of the General Sta
Ministry of National Defense
Time: September 2nd, 2019 at 18:30 p.m.
Armed Forces Trying to Overthrow the Army Establishment and Combat Readiness Planning from the Former Chief of the General Staff? Ministry of National Defense Clarifies: False Interpretation.
Regarding today’s (2nd) media coverages of “Policy Fades as Stepping Down from Office? Armed Forces Trying to Overthrow the Overall Defensive Conception and the Joint Combat Standard System Promoted by the Former Chief of the General Staff”, “Parachute Maintenance Company Unable to Avoid Dissolving Under the Securing of Services”, “2020 Budget for 60 Micro-class Missile Assault Boats Reduced from the Initially Recorded $1.67 billion to Merely $1.04 million”, Ministry of National Defense has clarified that they are all false interpretation from the media, and are different from the truth. The ministry has provided the following explanations:
1. The “Overall Defensive Conception” (ODC) of the Armed Forces is a defensive combat guidance stipulated according to the military strategy of “Tenacious Defense, Multiple-layered Deterrence” and the conclusion from the Han Kuang Exercises over the years, and various major exercise scenarios and implementation are implemented in accordance with this guidance. The Armed Forces will continue to review and improve according to “Construction of Military Strength, Organizational Assembly, Weapon Procurement, Standard Development, and Troops Training”in the future in order to construct a reliable elite combat force, and ensure national security.
2. The parachutes from the “Parachute Maintenance Company” of Army can be professionally folded and ensure the safety of the paratroopers during missions, hence it is not under consideration of dissolving. Furthermore, by taking reference of the titles around the world, the company was renamed to the “Parachute Preparedness Company” on July 1st, 2019.
3. The “Micro-class Missile Assault Boat” project of the Navy was completed in 2018, though the budget review from the Legislator Yuan in 2019 decided that it must undergo evaluation and receive approval from the Legislator Yuan upon implementing the special report before commencing construction procedure. The initially designated budget of $1.6 billion in 2020 was reduced to $1.04 million for project management implementation after the evaluation of the Navy, whereas the budget ($1.6 billion) for “platform construction, commissioning of combat equipment” has been delayed to 2021 in order to achieve the biggest benefit of the budget.
4. The various army establishment planning of the Armed Forces are prudently stipulated subsequent to prospecting regional security environment and evaluating enemy threats, in order to achieve the the objective of army establishment and combat readiness. In addition, national defense policy contain consistency and continuity, and has not been altered from personnel change. The ministry hereby requests all sectors to refrain from misleading the public by speculating on specific content.