Taiwan Defence Minister Confirms Tracking Chinese Activities for ‘Early Warning Intelligence’

Taiwan’s Defence Minister, Wellington Koo, confirmed on Friday that the armed forces are closely tracking Chinese military activities and gathering intelligence ahead of Taiwan’s national day next Friday, October 10. The event traditionally features a keynote speech by President Lai Ching-te.

China, which views the island (formally called the Republic of China) as its own, staged a day of war games around the island last year shortly after the same national event, describing the maneuvers as a warning to “separatist acts.”

Monitoring and Response Posture

When questioned by reporters at parliament regarding the possibility of a repeat of the war games this year, Minister Koo affirmed the military’s vigilance but refrained from speculation.

“We will continue to monitor relevant developments in China and gather any early warning intelligence. We will closely track and respond accordingly,” he said. “Regarding hypothetical scenarios, I am unable to provide answers at this time.”

The minister’s comments come as China is in the middle of its own week-long national day holiday.

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Strategic Defence Zone Visit

In a visible show of resolve, Minister Koo visited military bases on the Penghu Islands on Thursday. The islands sit strategically in the Taiwan Strait, nearer the main island of Taiwan than China’s coast, and are home to one of Taiwan’s most important air bases.

The ministry published a picture of him in front of a Sky Bow III missile battery. This Taiwan-developed surface-to-air missile holds a similar mission scope to the U.S.-made Patriots, which Taiwan also operates.

The ministry cited Minister Koo as telling the troops that, “Facing severe enemy threats, Penghu serves as a critical defence zone for our combat operations.” Koo declined to comment on whether the Sky Bow III has been fully deployed to Taiwan’s offshore islands, stating only that the system has entered service.

Ongoing Tensions

Apart from larger war games—the last of which China staged in April—Chinese fighter jets and warships operate almost daily in the Taiwan Strait and waters and skies off the island’s north, south and east coasts.

The Chinese government refers to Taiwan’s president as a “separatist” due to his rejection of Beijing’s sovereignty claims. President Lai Ching-te has consistently maintained that only the island’s people can decide their future.