Taiwan’s largest arms factory tested a missile that might hit mainland China amid ongoing cross-strait tensions.
It has also stated that it is collaborating with local civilian enterprises to develop five types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the purpose of building a drone fleet and enhancing the military’s surveillance capabilities.
Taiwan Missiles
In recent months, the People’s Liberation Army has conducted increasingly active air and naval operations surrounding the island. In addition, US military authorities have issued warnings about the escalating possibility of cross-strait violence.
The government-funded National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) conducted a missile test on Tuesday morning at 9:10 a.m. from its base in Jiupeng in the island’s southernmost county of Pingtung, according to a notice issued by Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency to warn against air and sea activities near the test site.
The surface-to-surface missile is an extended-range variant of the Hsiung Feng IIE, capable of striking targets up to 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) away – far enough to strike major mainland cities like Qingdao on the east coast or Wuhan in the center.
Local newspapers, notably the Liberty Times, cited a military observer who indicated that based on the height and test site coordinates provided by the CIA, it was most likely the newly created Hsiung Sheng.
According to the agency, the missile was tested in the skies over Green Island, Orchid Island, and Yilan County, spanning 300 kilometers north to south and 180 kilometers east to west at a height of up to 30 kilometers.
It was the first missile test conducted by NCSIST this year. Officials from NCSIST stated that six planned tests were canceled either due to inclement weather or because the PLA was conducting military exercises close to Taiwan.
After conducting unprecedented live-fire drills around Taiwan in early August in retaliation for a visit by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has stepped up its military activities against Taiwan.
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China Plans To Invade Taiwan
Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its territory to be seized by force if necessary, was enraged by the trip, which it viewed as an infringement on its sovereignty.
The United States and the majority of other nations do not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Washington, however, opposes any move to capture the island by force.
Some US military officers, including Air Force General Mike Minihan, have warned that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) may invade Taiwan around 2025 or 2027, despite the Pentagon’s assertion that a cross-strait war is not imminent.
The National Center for Space-Based Intelligence and Surveillance Technology (NCSIST) stated on Tuesday that it was working closely with Taiwanese civilian companies to develop a variety of drone types for military use, adding that the development of a UAV fleet proved effective in Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion.
Chi Li-pin, the chief of the NCSIST’s aeronautical systems research branch, told a news conference in Taipei: These contracted businesses are expected to complete the prototypes of five varieties of these drones by July 31 as scheduled.
The NCSIST would order 3,000 UAVS from the contractors for delivery next year, according to the plan.
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