Taiwan: Taiwan's air force will require a record NT$36.8 billion (US$1.16 billion) for equipment installation and maintenance in 2019, according to a budget proposal sent to the island's legislature.
The proposal, which was made public on Monday by a legislative source, represents a 26% increase from the NT$29.2 billion approved for this year and nearly double what was allocated in 2016, the year Tsai Ing-wen first were elected. President of the island.
According to observers, frequent flights of warplanes of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the crossing of the central line separating the self-governing island from mainland China were the reasons for the sharp increase.
According to the proposal, Taiwan's Air Force is requesting NT$17.6 billion for equipment and facility maintenance fees and NT$19.2 billion for maintenance and installation, including its fighter jets, trainers, transport aircraft, anti-submarine aircraft, helicopters. Includes purchase of spares and spares for and related on-ground facilities.
The cost of maintenance and installation, according to the source, was included in the total military maintenance budget of NT$133.7 billion, recommended by the island's defense ministry and approved by its cabinet in late August.
The source said that "all spending still requires the approval of the legislature," adding that lawmakers were projected to make some cuts before passing the budget between January and February of next year.
The source claimed that the PLA's continued intimidation strategy in recent years, especially in the past few months, when it sent several flights close to Taiwan, has forced the island's air force to scramble jets and launch missiles. forced, which were the main reason. Increased maintenance cost.
The source said the PLA had not only sent flights into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), but also flew warplanes across the midline. "Since the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, the PLA has increased its intensity in sending warplanes to harass us," the source said.
Following Pelosi's visit to Taipei in early August, the PLA conducted several rare drills throughout Taiwan.
Beijing interpreted Pelosi's visit as a sign of support for the island's pro-independence bloc, even though Washington claimed that Pelosi's visit—the senior-most American politician to visit the island in 25 years—converted Taiwan's policies. did not indicate a change.
The PLA's methods of intimidating the island have changed since Pelosi's visit, according to Chieh Cheng, a senior researcher at the National Policy Foundation, a think tank affiliated with Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang.
It sent warplanes mainly to our ADIZ over the past two years. However, since August 3, it has sent warplanes and warships to the midline and conducted military exercises close to Taiwan, an exercise that has turned into the "new normal" thanks to increasing pressure on us, Chieh said.
He continued by saying that the PLA had sent drones to spy on the island and to create fear among the population. According to Taiwan's Defense Ministry, the PLA has sent 525 flights since August 3 to either cross the midline or enter the ADIZ southwest of the island.
According to the ministry, the PLA also sent drones to Taiwan during that time, including its largest armed drone, the TB-001, as well as its surveillance drones, the BZK-005/007 and KVD-001.
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