日本放寬武器出口限制，打破二戰後和平主義政策（2/2）

Recently BBC News on-line reported the following:

Japan loosens arms export rules in break from post-WW2 pacifism (2/2)

 BBC - Kurumi Mori,Tokyo correspondent and Koh Ewe

21 Apr. 2026

(continue)

The new arms export rules were announced as Japan's Self-Defence Forces took part in annual war games between the US and the Philippines. Japan is joining the war games as combatants for the first time, instead of mere observers.

China has opposed the drills, claiming that it would deepen divisions in the region. The exercises take place in parts of the Philippines that are near waters and islands claimed by Beijing, including Taiwan.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be under Beijing's control - and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island.

Last year, Takaichi drew Beijing's ire after she suggested in parliament that Japan could respond with its Self-Defence Force if Beijing attacked Taiwan.

South Korea's foreign ministry said Japan's defence policy "should ideally be carried out in a manner that upholds the spirit of the Peace Constitution while contributing to peace and stability in the region".

South Korea was colonised by Japan from 1910 until the end of World War Two. Japanese soldiers forced hundreds of thousands of Koreans to work in its mines and factories. Women were pushed into sexual slavery.

Eight decades of pacifism

Japan's defence posture was written into its post-World War Two constitution in 1947. It renounced war as a way to settle international disputes and stated that Japan will never maintain war potential.

For decades, pacifism has become part of Japan's identity. But that mindset has been shifting gradually.

In 2014, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe relaxed a blanket ban on all military sales, allowing it to jointly develop arms with allies and give its defence industry access to new markets and technology.

In 2023, then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took it a step further to allow exports of finished lethal weapons for the first time since World War Two.

Takaichi has supported revising the pacifist constitution. While she has not specified the proposed changes, many think it will involve amending Article 9, which renounces war.

Takaichi's supporters say Japan needs to face a new reality where old rules no longer apply for a country that sits surrounded by China, Russia, and North Korea.

But critics worry that Japan is becoming a war-capable country. To them, Takaichi's stand on constitutional reform could mean Japan might be drawn into military conflicts.

Translation

日本放寬武器出口限制，打破二戰後和平主義政策（2/2）

（繼續）

日本自衛隊宣佈新的武器出口限制之際，正值日本自衛隊參加美菲年度聯合軍事演習。日本首次以參戰方身分參與此次演習，而非只是觀察員的身份。

中國反對此次演習，聲稱將加深地區分裂。演習地點位於菲律賓部分地區，靠近北京聲稱擁有主權的海域和島嶼，包括台灣。

中國將自治的台灣視為分離省份，最終將置於北京的控制之下，亦不排除使用武力收復台灣。

去年，高市在國會表示，如果北京攻擊台灣，日本可能動用自衛隊回應，此舉激怒了北京。

韓國外交部表示，日本的防衛政策「理想地應秉持和平憲法的精神，同時為區域和平與穩定做出貢獻」。

韓國自1910年起被日本殖民統治，直到二戰結束。日本士兵強迫數十萬韓國人到其礦場和工廠從事苦役。婦女被迫淪為性奴。

八十年的和平主義

日本的防衛立場於1947年寫入二戰後憲法。日本放棄以戰爭解決國際爭端，並聲明日本永遠不會保持戰爭能力。

幾十年來，和平主義已成為日本身份認同的一部分。但這種觀念正逐漸轉變。

2014年，時任首相安倍晉三放寬了對所有軍售的全面禁令，允許日本與盟友聯合研發武器，並使其國防工業能夠進入新的市場並獲得新技術。

2023年，時任首相岸田文雄更進一步，允許自二戰以來首次出口致命武器成品。

高市一直支持修改和平憲法。雖然她沒有具體說明擬議的修改內容，但許多人認為這將涉及修改放棄戰爭的第九條。

高市的支持者認為，日本需要面對新的現實，舊規則不再適用於這個被中國、俄羅斯和北韓包圍的國家。

但批評者擔心日本正在變成一個具備戰爭能力的國家。在他們看來，高市在憲法改革問題上的立場可能意味著日本將被捲入軍事衝突。

So, Japan has relaxed decades-old restrictions on its arms exports. The announcement marks a milestone in Tokyo's shift away from the pacifism that has dominated its post-war defense policy. Apparently, Japan feels that old rules no longer apply for her country that is surrounded by China, Russia, and North Korea. On top of that, the US is asking its partners to beef up their defense capabilities.

特朗普簽署新台灣法，台灣歡呼，中國不滿

Recently Google News on-line picked up the following:

Taiwan cheered, China upset after Trump signs new Taiwan legislation into law

By Reuters - Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Joe Cash; Editing by Michael Perry

December 3, 20254:04 PM GMT+8Updated December 3, 2025

TAIPEI/BEIJING, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Taiwan expressed thanks and China was upset on Wednesday after President Donald Trump signed into law legislation requiring the U.S. State Department to regularly review and update guidelines on how the United States officially interacts with Taipei.

The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, and the issue is a constant source of irritation in Sino-U.S. relations given Beijing views the democratically-governed island as its own.

In 2021 under the first Trump administration, then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lifted restrictions on contacts between U.S. officials and their Taiwanese counterparts, put in place after Washington recognised Beijing in 1979.

The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which Trump signed into law on Tuesday, says the U.S. State Department should carry out reviews of contacts with Taiwan no less than once every five years.

The law "affirms the value of U.S. interaction with Taiwan, supports closer Taiwan-U.S. relations, and stands as a firm symbol of our shared values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights", Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo said in a statement.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung told reporters more frequent reviews of the guidelines would allow Taiwanese officials into federal agencies for meetings, for example, though the legislation does not make explicit mention of this.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China firmly opposes any form of official contact between the United States and "the Taiwan region of China".

"The Taiwan question is the core of China's core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China–U.S. relations," he added.

The United States should exercise "the utmost prudence in handling the Taiwan question, to stop all official interactions between the U.S. and Taiwan, and not to send any wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces", Lin said.

Taiwan's government rejects China's territorial claims and says it has a right to freely engage with countries around the world.

Translation

特朗普簽署新台灣法，台灣歡呼，中國不滿

台北/北京，12月3日（路透社）- 週三，美國總統特朗普簽署了一項法案，要求美國國務院定期審查和更新美國與台北官方互動方式的指導方針。此舉引發台灣的感謝，而中國則感到不滿。

儘管台灣與美國沒有正式外交關係，但美國仍是台灣最重要的國際支持者。鑑於北京將這個民主治理的島嶼視為其領土的一部分，台灣問題一直是中美關係中持續的摩擦點。

2021年，在特朗普第一任期內，時任國務卿蓬佩奧取消了美國官員與台灣官員接觸的限制。這些限制是在華盛頓於1979年承認北京後實施的。

特朗普週二簽署生效的《台灣保證實施法》規定，美國國務院應至少每五年對與台灣的接觸情況進行一次審查。

台灣總統府發言人Karen Kuo在聲明中表示，該法「肯定了美台互動的重要性，支持加強台美關係，並成為我們共同的民主、自由和尊重人權價值的堅定象徵」。

台灣外交部長Lin Chia-lung告訴記者，更頻繁地審查這些準則將允許台灣官員進入聯邦機構進行會晤等，儘管該法案並未明確提及這一點。

在北京，中國外交部發言人Lin Jian表示，中方堅決反對美國與「中國台灣地區」進行任何形式的官方接觸。

他補充道:「台灣問題是中國核心利益的核心，也是中美關係中不容逾越的第一條紅線」。

Lin表示，美國在處理台灣問題上應「極度謹慎，停止美台一切官方往來，不要向『台獨』分裂勢力發出任何錯誤訊號」。

台灣當局拒絕承認中國的領土主張，並表示有權與世界各國自由交往。

              So, Donald Trump has signed into law legislation requiring the U.S. State Department to regularly review and update guidelines on how the United States officially interacts with Taipei. Taiwan presumes that more frequent reviews of the guidelines would allow Taiwanese officials into federal agencies for meetings, for example. Apparently, in the calculation of the US, Taiwan has a key role to play in checking mainland China.

特朗普稱中國國家主席習近平告訴他，在他任期內不會在台灣問題上採取行動

Recently Google News on-line picked up the following:

Trump says China's Xi told him he won't move on Taiwan during Republican's term

Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping has given him assurances.

Associated Press – By AAMER MADHANI

November 3, 2025, 1:15 AM

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- President Donald Trump says that Chinese President Xi Jinping has given him assurances that Beijing would take no action toward its long-stated goal of unifying Taiwan with mainland China while the Republican leader is in office.

Trump said that the long-contentious issue of Taiwan did not come up in his talks with Xi on Thursday in South Korea that largely focused on U.S.-China trade tensions. But the U.S. leader expressed certainty that China would not take action on Taiwan, while he's in office.

“He has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in an excerpt of an interview with the CBS' program “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday.

U.S. officials have long been concerned about the possibility of China using military force against Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy claimed by Beijing as part of its territory.

The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed U.S. relations with the island, does not require the U.S. to step in militarily if China invades but makes it American policy to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself and to prevent any unilateral change of status by Beijing.

Asked if he would order U.S. forces to defend Taiwan if China attacked, Trump demurred. The United States, both Republican and Democratic administrations, have maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan — trying not to tip their hands on whether the U.S. would come to the island's aid in such a scenario.

“You’ll find out if it happens, and he understands the answer to that,” Trump said of Xi.

Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, did not respond directly to a query about whether Trump has received any assurances from Xi or Chinese officials about Taiwan. He insisted in a statement that China “will never allow any person or force to separate Taiwan from China in any way.”

“The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair, and it is the core of China’s core interests. How to resolve the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people ourselves, and only the Chinese people can decide it," the statement added.

The White House also did not provide further details about when Xi or Chinese officials have conveyed to Trump that military action on Taiwan was off-the-table for the duration of the Republican's presidency.

Translation

特朗普稱中國國家主席習近平告訴他，在他任期內不會在台灣問題上採取行動

特朗普稱中國國家主席習近平已向他做出保證。

佛羅裡達州西棕櫚灘（美聯社）—美國總統特朗普表示，中國國家主席習近平已向他保證，在他任期內，北京不會採取任何行動來實現其長期以來將台灣與中國大陸統一的目標。

特朗普表示，在周四於韓國舉行的與習近平的會談中，長期存在爭議的台灣問題並未被提及，會談主要集中在美中貿易緊張局勢上。但這位美國領導人表示，他確信，在他任期內，中國不會在台灣問題上採取行動。

特朗普在周日播出的哥倫比亞廣播公司（CBS）“60分鐘”節目採訪節選中表示：“他（指中國）公開說過，他的團隊也在會議上公開說過，‘只要特朗普總統還在任，我們就絕不會採取任何行動’，因為他們知道後果。”

長期以來，美國官員一直擔憂中國可能對台灣動用武力。台灣是一個自治的民主島嶼，北京聲稱它是中國領土的一部分。

1979年《台灣關係法》一直是美國與台灣關係的指導原則。該法並未要求美國在中國入侵台灣時必須採取軍事行動，但規定美國有義務確保台灣擁有自衛能力，並防止北京單方面改變台灣的地位。

當被問及如果中國發動攻擊，他是否會下令美軍保衛台灣時，特朗普並沒有正面回答。美國，無論是共和黨還是民主黨執政，都對台灣問題奉行「戰略模糊」政策 - 盡量不透露美國是否會在類似情況下援助台灣。

特朗普談到習近平時說道:「如果真發生了，你們就會知道了，他明白答案」。

中國駐華盛頓大使館發言人劉鵬宇沒有直接回應關於特朗普是否從習近平或中國官員那裡得到任何關於台灣問題的保證的問題。他在聲明中強調，中國「絕不允許任何人或任何勢力以任何方式將台灣從中國分裂」。

聲明還補充說：“台灣問題是中國內政，是中國的核心利益。如何解決台灣問題是中國人民自己的事，也只有中國人民才能決定。”

白宮也沒有提供更多細節，說明習近平或中國官員何時向特朗普傳達了在共和黨總統任期內不會對台灣採取軍事行動的訊息。

So, Donald Trump says that Chinese President Xi Jinping has given him assurances that Beijing would take no action to unify Taiwan with mainland China while the Republican leader is in office. I choose to believe this. Apparently, this will bring peace to the Taiwan strait for a few more years that both parties are happy to have.

Taiwan's TSMC to invest 15 trillion yen in the US, President Trump announces

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

台湾ＴＳＭＣ、米国で１５兆円投資へ　トランプ大統領発表

2025.03.04 Tue posted at 17:47 JST

  ニューヨーク（ＣＮＮ） 台湾の半導体大手、台湾積体電路製造（ＴＳＭＣ）が、米国での生産事業に少なくとも１０００億ドル（約１５兆円）を投資するとの見通しが明らかになった。

 

トランプ米大統領が３日、魏哲家・最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）、ラトニック商務長官、人工知能（ＡＩ）・暗号資産政策を指揮するサックス氏とともに、ホワイトハウスで発表した。

 

アリゾナ州ですでに稼働しているＴＳＭＣの半導体製造工場一つと建設中の二つに加え、新たに先端工場三つを建設するための資金で、数万人の雇用創出が期待される。

 

Translation

Taiwan's TSMC to invest 15 trillion yen in the US, President Trump announces

New York (CNN) Taiwanese semiconductor giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) was set to invest at least $100 billion (approximately 15 trillion yen) in its manufacturing operations in the US.

US President Trump announced this at the White House on the 3rd, along with CEO Wei Zhejia (魏哲家), Secretary of Commerce Lutnick, and Sachs, who oversees artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency policies.

The funds would be used to build three new cutting-edge factories, in addition to one TSMC semiconductor manufacturing plant already in operation and two under construction in Arizona, tens of thousands of jobs were expected to be created.

       So, TSMC will be investing at least $100 billion in its manufacturing operations in the US. I am wondering what are the reasons that push TSMC to make such a decision. Will US tariffs be a factor? Or the future security of Taiwan?

中國引誘台灣人移居大陸引發台北擔憂

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

China Enticing Taiwanese to Live There Stirs Concern in Taipei

Bloomberg - Yian Lee

Sun, January 5, 2025 at 7:57 p.m. PST·2 min read

(Bloomberg) -- China’s efforts to entice more Taiwanese people to get permits to live and work on the mainland is prompting concern in Taipei that Beijing could be laying the groundwork to justify intervention in the self-governing island’s affairs, according to a senior Taiwanese official.

China’s efforts to promote the residence permit have recently intensified, especially when it comes to targeting Taiwanese people who’ve never traveled to the mainland, said the official, who asked not to be identified discussing a sensitive matter.

Taiwanese officials are concerned holders of this permit will be easier to convince to apply for China’s national citizen identification card and to swap their passports for those issued by Beijing, the official said. They worry that could in turn be used by the Chinese government to justify the need to “protect Chinese citizens” in Taiwan, said the official.

In 2018, China introduced this type of residence permit specifically for those from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau to make it easier for holders to live and work on the mainland. The permit also grants access to financial services and social benefits, and can be obtained without those from Taiwan having to renounce their Taiwanese citizenship.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to eventually bring the island under its control, even if by force. Ties between the two sides have become increasingly strained as of late after Lai Ching-te was elected Taiwan’s president in 2024. Beijing views Lai with great suspicion and has accused him of pursuing outright independence for Taiwan.

Asked about the Chinese residence permits after he delivered his New Year’s address last Wednesday, Lai responded by saying, “do not be tempted by short-term benefits and stray onto the wrong path, because democracy is priceless and freedom cannot be cashed in.”

Translation

中國引誘台灣人移居大陸引發台北擔憂

（彭博）—據一位台灣高級官員稱，中國為吸引更多台灣人獲得在大陸居住和工作的許可而做出的努力，引發了台北方面的擔憂，他們擔心北京可能正在為干涉台灣島自治事務奠定基礎。

這位因討論敏感話題而不願透露姓名的台灣官員表示，中國最近加大了居住證推廣力度，特別是針對那些從未去過大陸的台灣人。

這位官員說，台灣官員擔心，持有該許可證的人將更容易被說服申請中國公民身分證，並換發北京頒發的護照。這位官員說，他們擔心中國政府可能會利用這一點，為其需要「保護在台灣的中國公民」尋找藉口。

2018年，中國專門為台灣、香港和澳門居民推出了此類居住許可，以方便持有者在大陸生活和工作。該許可證還允許台灣人享受金融服務和社會福利，並且無需放棄台灣國籍亦可獲得該許可證。

中國認為台灣是其領土的一部分，並誓言即去使用武力, 也最終會將該島置於其控制之下。賴清德於 2024 年當選台灣總統後，兩岸關係近來愈發緊張。北京對賴抱持極大懷疑，並指責他推行徹底是台灣獨立。

上週三，賴清德在發表新年講話後被問及中國居住證問題，他回應說：“不要受短期利益誘惑而誤入歧途，民主無價，自由是不能用現金兌換的”。

              So, China’s efforts to entice more Taiwanese people to get permits to live and work on the mainland is causing concern in Taipei in that Beijing could be laying the groundwork to justify intervention in the self-governing island’s affairs. Apparently, it is a soft way for China to absorb Taiwan into its orbit. Anyway, it is much better than using military forces.

中國戰機幾乎抹去了台灣海峽的分界線，創造了危險的新常態 (2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

China's warplanes have all but erased the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait, creating a dangerous new normal (2/2)

Business Insider - Chris Panella

Thu, October 31, 2024 at 12:56 a.m. GMT+8·6 min read

(continue)

Chinese incursions are tiring out Taiwan's forces

The near-daily ADIZ incursions aren't just changing the status quo in the area; they're also exhausting Taiwan's military.

In October 2020, then-Taiwanese Minister of National Defense Yen Teh-fa said Taipei's air force and navy spent almost $1 billion monitoring Chinese sorties. Since then, Taiwan has adjusted its responses to the ADIZ violations in order to reserve resources, but it is still taxing.

In this tough situation, "the concern is the continued degradation of Taiwan's military assets and the draining of Taiwan's military personnel," Shattuck said, explaining that China "exploits" Taiwan's military capabilities "by flooding the field and forcing Taiwan to choose what things deserve a response."

That degradation could ultimately leave Taiwan's military weakened should one of China's large-scale drills suddenly become the real deal, and with US aid to Taiwan "long-delayed and overdue," Shattuck said, it could hamper Taiwan's readiness.

"The median line of the Taiwan Strait—a de facto boundary that created some semblance of cross-Strait stability—is no more" and "Taiwan cannot push back on all fronts against these PRC incursions," Lewis and Shattuck wrote recently.

This is an attritional fight, they said, arguing that while Chinese military activities around Taiwan "have become normalized and are a part of the ever-deteriorating status quo in the Taiwan Strait," Taipei and Washington still have cards to play.

Taiwan has spent years navigating tricky relations with Beijing, which is opposed to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and has labeled Lai a "separatist."

During his inauguration speech, Lai promised to uphold Taiwanese democracy as a global beacon, calling on China to cease its intimidation against Taiwan. The speech further inflamed relations, and "Joint Sword 2024-A" shortly followed. Lai toned down rhetoric during his National Day speech earlier this month, demonstrating restraint in calls for peace and understanding.

"Lai's National Day speech indicates that Taipei is attempting to find ways to offer an olive branch to China while maintaining its assertions of Taiwan's de facto sovereignty," Amanda Hsiao, Crisis Group's Senior Analyst for China, told BI. But China's reaction, "Joint Sword 2024-B," was intense and sent a message.

Regardless of what Lai says or how he approaches relations, Shattuck said, China doesn't trust him.

"It no longer matters what sorts of olive branches a DPP president may extend because Beijing will not accept them," he said, explaining that "Beijing is attempting to accelerate its squeezing of Taiwan's own sovereign territory." That has implications for Taiwan and its international partners.

As the Chinese military continues its incursions in Taiwan's ADIZ, Washington and its allies "need to remain vigilant in protesting these activities so that it is clear that military coercion of Taiwan is unacceptable," Shattuck said.

"It is unrealistic to argue that Taiwan or the United States will be able to stop the PRC aerial and maritime incursions around Taiwan," he and Lewis wrote, but there are options. "Washington," they said, "should work to elevate Taiwan's ability to track the situation around its territory and provide it with the necessary resources to push back as needed."

Translation

中國戰機幾乎抹去了台灣海峽的分界線，創造了危險的新常態 (2/2)

（繼續）

中國的闖入使台灣軍隊疲憊不堪

幾乎每天都有的防空識別區被闖入不僅改變了該地區的現狀，也令到台灣的軍隊疲憊。

2020 年 10 月，時任台灣國防部長Yen Teh-fa 表示，台北空軍和海軍花了近 10 億美元監視中國的出動。此後，台灣調整了違反防空識別區的應對措施，以節省資源，但仍然費力。

Shattuck說，在這種艱難的局勢下，「令人擔憂的是台灣軍事資產的持續退化和台灣軍事人員的流失」。又解釋說中國 “活靈針對” 台灣的軍事能力， “透過淹沒戰場迫使台灣選擇什么事情應該去作出反應” 。

Shattuck表示，如果中國的一項大規模演習突然成為真的進攻，這種退化最終可能會削弱台灣的軍事實力，而美國對台灣的援助是 “長時間被延遲、逾期” ，這可能會阻礙台灣的備戰工作。

 Lewis 和 Shattuck最近寫道： “台灣海峽的中線  -  一條在某種程度上創造了兩岸穩定的邊界 - 事實上已不復存在” ， “台灣無法在所有戰線上反擊這些中國的闖入” 。

他們表示，這是一場消耗戰，並認為雖然中國在台灣週邊的軍事活動“已經常恒化，並且是台海現狀不斷惡化的一部分”，但台北和華盛頓仍然有牌可打。

台灣多年來一直在處理與北京的棘手關係，北京反對執政的民進黨，並給Lai貼上了「分離主義分子」的標籤。

Lai 在就職演說中承諾維護台灣民主作為全球燈塔，呼籲中國停止對台灣的恐嚇。該演講進一步激化了關係，不久之後就出現了「聯合利劍2024-A」。Lai在本月稍早的國慶演講中緩和了言辭，表現出克制地呼籲和平與理解。

危機組織 中國區高級分析師 Amanda Hsiao 告訴BI，“Lai的國慶演講表明，台北正試圖尋找方法向中國伸出橄欖枝，同時維持其對台灣事實上主權的主張。”但中國的「聯合利劍2024-B」反應強烈，並傳遞了一個訊息。

Shattuck說，無論Lai說什麼或他如何處理關係，中國都不信任他。

他說：“民進黨主席可能會伸出什麼樣的橄欖枝已經不再重要，因為北京不會接受它們。”他解釋說，“北京正在試圖加速擠壓台灣自己的主權領土。”這對台灣及其國際夥伴有影響。

Shattuck說，隨著中國軍隊繼續入侵台灣防空識別區，華盛頓及其盟友「需要保持警惕，抗議這些活動，以表明對台灣的軍事脅迫是不可接受的」。

他和Lewis寫道：「認為台灣或美國能夠阻止中國對台灣週邊地區的空中和海上入侵是不切實際的」, 但還是有選擇的。他們表示，「華盛頓應該努力提高台灣追蹤其領土週邊局勢的能力，並為其提供必要的資源，在有需要時進行反擊」。

              So, China’s warplanes are pressuring Taiwan and have all but eliminated an important dividing line, with near-daily incursions creating a dangerous new normal. According to some experts, it is unrealistic to argue that Taiwan or the United States will be able to stop the PRC aerial and maritime incursions around Taiwan. The median line of the Taiwan Strait—a de facto boundary that created some semblance of cross-Strait stability does not exist anymore. I think the chance for a conflict to occur around the median line has increased.

中國戰機幾乎抹去了台灣海峽的分界線，創造了危險的新常態 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

China's warplanes have all but erased the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait, creating a dangerous new normal (1/2)

Business Insider - Chris Panella

Thu, October 31, 2024 at 12:56 a.m. GMT+8·6 min read

China's warplanes are pressuring Taiwan and have all but eliminated an important dividing line, with near-daily incursions creating a dangerous new normal.

Since 2020, Taiwan has released regular, almost daily updates on incursions in its air defense identification zone by Chinese military aircraft. It has also documented continuous Chinese efforts to degrade the Taiwan Strait median line established in 1955.

Researchers Thomas J. Shattuck, a non-resident fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Fellow, and Benjamin Lewis, co-founder of the PLATracker organization, have tracked increasingly bold Chinese behavior. A review of data from Taiwan revealed that ADIZ incursions over the past four years have shown a growing rejection of the unofficial dividing line put in place for deconfliction.

China's military incursions into Taiwan's ADIZ and its crossings of the median line in the Taiwan Strait have skyrocketed, with the ADIZ incursions climbing from an average of 2.56 aircraft per day four years ago to 11.63 now.

A nation's ADIZ extends far beyond its territorial airspace, but the area is closely monitored for national security purposes. When Chinese aircraft enter Taiwan's de facto ADIZ, it dispatches combat air patrol (CAP) aircraft in response.

In 2021, the Chinese military flew 972 aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ, and that number nearly doubled in 2022. 1,703 aircraft were recorded in 2023. And 2024 looks to have a record-breaking number, with over 2,000 aircraft documented as of September. They're also no longer limited to a corner of the ADIZ.

Crossings of the median line have become increasingly common since August 2022, when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi controversially visited Taiwan, and China has been steadily erasing it altogether. In a recent drill surrounding Taiwan, 111 Chinese warplanes crossed it, marking a single-day high. A few years ago, Taiwan might see hundreds cross the line but over months.

"We've become desensitized to high numbers of the military aircraft flying across the median line of the Taiwan Strait," Shattuck told Business Insider. "Five years ago, that was unheard of. Now, it's just another Thursday."

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and hasn't ruled out using its growing military to achieve unification, raising concerns in Taipei, the US, and other Western nations that China could one day enact a blockade or full-scale invasion of Taiwan to force it to give in to Beijing's authority.

Beijing's tactics run the gamut of intimidation and coercion, including political and economic pressure and massive military exercises aimed at forcing the Taiwanese people to reject independence.

Recently, two joint-force drills, "Joint Sword 2024-A" and "Joint Sword 2024-B," saw the Chinese People's Liberation Army effectively surround Taiwan, simulating how it could blockade key ports and areas, assault maritime and ground targets, and seize territory.

During "Joint Sword 2024-B," Taiwan's defense ministry said that a record number of Chinese warplanes, over 150, flew into its ADIZ in one day. In response, Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te, said China aims "to undermine stability and the status quo."

(to be continued)

Translation

中國戰機幾乎抹去了台灣海峽的分界線，創造了危險的新常態 (1/2)

中國的戰機正在向台灣施壓，幾乎消除了一條重要的分界線，幾乎每天都有入侵，創造了一種危險的新常態。

自2020年以來，台灣幾乎每天都會定期發布有關中國軍機入侵其防空識別區的最新消息。它也記錄了中國不斷努力削弱 1955 年設立的台灣海峽中線。

外交政策研究所 的非常駐研究員 Thomas J. Shattuck 以及 PLATracker 組織的聯合創始人 Benjamin Lewis 一直在追蹤中國日益大膽的行為。對台灣數據的審查顯示，過去四年的防空識別區入侵表明，越來越多的人無視為消除衝突而設立的非正式分界線。

中國對台灣防空識別區(ADIZ)和穿越台灣海峽中線的軍事入侵數量激增，入侵防空識別區的飛機數量從四年前的平均每天2.56架次上升到現在的11.63架次。

一個國家的防空識別區遠遠超出其領空，但出於國家安全目的，該地區受到密切監視。當中國飛機進入台灣實際上的防空辨識區時，它會派遣戰鬥空中巡邏機（CAP）作為回應。

2021 年，中國軍方有972 架飛機進入台灣防空識別區，這一數字在2022 年幾乎翻了一番。2023年記錄了1,703架飛機。 2024年的數字似乎將破紀錄，截至9月記錄的飛機數量超過2,000架。 飛機都不再局限於ADIZ的某個角落。

自 2022 年 8 月時任眾議院議長Nancy Pelosi頗具爭議地訪問台灣以來，跨越中線的現象變得越來越普遍，而中國一直在穩步地完全消除這中線這。在最近一次圍繞台灣的演習中，有 111 架中國戰機飛越中線，創下單日最高紀錄。幾年前，要在幾個月的時間台灣才看到有超過百次越過這條線。

Shattuck對《商業內幕》表示： “我們對飛越台灣海峽中線的大量軍用飛機已經變得麻木了。” “五年前，這是聞所未聞的。現在，偶然的事變成經常發生。”

中國聲稱台灣是它的領土，並且不排除利用其不斷壯大的軍事力量實現統一，這引起了台北、美國和其他西方國家的擔憂，他們擔心中國有一天可能對台灣實施封鎖或全面入侵，以迫使台灣向北京政權屈服。

北京的策略範圍是恐嚇和脅迫，包括政治和經濟壓力以及大規模軍事演習, 旨在迫使台灣人民拒絕獨立。

近日，「聯合利劍2024-A」和「聯合利劍2024-B」兩次聯演，中國人民解放軍實質上包圍台灣，模擬封鎖重點港口和地區、攻擊海上和地面目標、並奪取領土。

台灣國防部在「聯合利劍2024-B」期間表示，一天之內有超過150架中國戰機飛入其防空辨識區，數量創歷史新高。作為回應，台灣新任總統賴清德表示，中國的目的是「破壞穩定和現狀」。

（待續）

Note:

1. The Foreign Policy Research Institute is an American think tank based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that conducts research on geopolitics, international relations, and international security in the various regions of the world and on ethnic conflict, U.S. national security, terrorism, and on think tanks themselves. (Wikipedia)

2. Thomas J. Shattuck is a Senior Program Manager at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House. He is a 2024-25 non-resident WSD-Handa Fellow at the Pacific Forum and a 2024-25 non-resident Research Fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point. His research includes cross-Strait relations, Taiwanese and Chinese domestic and foreign affairs. Shattuck is a Non-Resident Research Fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute, on top of being a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. (https://thomas-shattuck.com/)

3. The Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) (臺灣防空識別區) is an air defense identification zone of the Republic of China, which covers Taiwan Province, its surrounds, and a large portion of the Chinese mainland. A theoretical "median line" was defined in 1955 one year after the zone was established. (Wikipedia)

中國外長：台海兩岸都是中國的

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

China's foreign minister: Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to China

Thu, April 20, 2023 at 6:55 p.m. PDT

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Friday that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to China, and that it is right and proper for China to uphold its sovereignty.

Qin made the remarks at the Lanting Forum in Shanghai, where he discussed a wide range of topics from debt, the global economy, and Taiwan.

"Recently there has been absurd rhetoric accusing China of upending the status quo, disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Qin said. "The logic is absurd and the conclusion dangerous."

He added that "fair-minded people can see who is engaged in hegemonic bullying and high-minded practices."

"It is not the Chinese mainland, but the Taiwan independence separatist forces and a handful of countries attempting to disrupt the status quo," Qin said. "Those who play with fire on Taiwan will eventually get themselves burned."

China recently held military exercises around the self-ruled island after Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, returned to Taipei following a meeting in Los Angeles with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, a claim the government in Taipei strongly rejects, and routinely denounces high-level meetings between Taiwanese and foreign leaders and officials.

(Reporting by Casey Hall; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Gerry Doyle)

Translation

上海（路透社）- 中國外交部長秦剛週五表示，台灣海峽兩岸均屬於中國，中國維護自己的主權是正當和適當的。

秦在上海蘭亭論壇上發表上述言論，他在會上討論了債務、全球經濟和台灣等廣泛話題。

秦說： “最近出現了指責中國顛覆現狀、破壞台海和平穩定的荒謬言論”;  “邏輯荒謬，結論危險。”

他補充說: “公正的人可以看到誰在從事霸權欺凌和高尚的做法。”

秦說： “不是中國大陸，而是台獨分裂勢力和極少數國家企圖破壞現狀”; “在台灣玩火者，終將自焚。”

在台灣總統蔡英文在洛杉磯與美國眾議院議長凱文麥卡錫會面後返回台北後，中國最近在自治島嶼周圍舉行了軍事演習。

北京將民主治理的台灣視為自己的領土，台北政府強烈反對這一說法，北京並經常譴責台灣與外國領導人和官員之間的高層會晤。

So, Beijing views the democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, a claim the government in Taipei strongly rejects, and routinely denounces high-level meetings between Taiwanese and foreign leaders and officials. As China becomes more powerful economically and militarily, the chance of a military conflict over Taiwan is increasing.

US nuclear submarine patrols the Pacific Ocean deep waters where light cannot reach – pinning sights on China (1/2)

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

米原潜、光届かない太平洋の深海を巡回　視線は中国に釘付け (1/2)

2023.04.07 Fri posted at 15:30 JST

ハワイ・ホノルル（ＣＮＮ） 太平洋の海面下数百フィート、米海軍で最も先進的な技術を駆使した設備の一つに守られて、ジェフ・ジャブロン海軍少将の目には自身のチームが直面する２つの極めて大きな課題がはっきりと見えている。

「今日の世界で、我が国は共に核を保有する２つの敵国と対峙（たいじ）している。そんな状況はこれまでなかった」。米太平洋艦隊所属の攻撃型原子力潜水艦「ＵＳＳミシシッピ」の艦内で、ジャブロン氏はそう説明する。

「旧ソ連、つまり現在のロシアは、核能力に関して我が国と同等の敵国だった。現在対峙する中国は、自らの核能力を拡大、最新化している」（ジャブロン氏）

その日、バージニア級の原潜ミシシッピはハワイ・真珠湾の基地を後にし、通常任務のため世界最大の海洋の波の下へと滑り込んだ。

艦内では１３０人余りの水兵がそれぞれの持ち場につき、練り上げられた数々の任務をこなしている。

コントロールルームでは１０人以上の水兵が任務に就いていた。ソナーで障害物を探る者もいれば、暗い深海での潜航を担う者もいる。

魚雷の格納庫へ下りると、技術者らが装填（そうてん）の訓練を行っていた。いかなる時も作戦即応性を確保することが狙いだ。さらに下層のフロアでは、機関兵らが油圧系統の適正な機能を確認していた。

作業は窮屈で、閉所恐怖症になりそうだと乗組員らは説明する。海で長い期間を過ごすうち、お互いが強い関係で結ばれ、ほとんど家族のようになるという。

マサチューセッツ州出身の２２歳の機械工、ジャック・オブライエン氏は同僚らについて、「毎日顔を合わせ、毎日共に働き、隣同士で眠る」と語る。

「港にいるときでさえ、日の出から日没まで艦内で働いている」

ＡＵＫＵＳの潜水艦協定

アジアにおける核兵器開発競争への懸念が高まる中、ＣＮＮの記者に対し、ＵＳＳミシシッピへの独占的なアクセスが認められた。ジャブロン氏によれば同艦は、米艦隊に所属する攻撃型潜水艦４９隻の一つ。取材の目的は、米政府がどのように準備を進め、地域の潜在的な紛争を抑止しようとしているのかを見極めることにある。

潜水艦は見つけにくく、破壊されにくく、途方もない距離を移動することが可能だ。そうした潜水艦の果たす役割が原動力となり今月、米国と英国、オーストラリアは原子力潜水艦協定の詳細を発表した。これにより３カ国は協力関係を一段と高め、中国の急速な軍拡に対抗するとみられる。

いわゆる「ＡＵＫＵＳ（オーカス）協定」の下、オーストラリアはバージニア級原潜３隻を米国から２０３０年代前半に購入する予定。これには議会の承認が必要になる。

中国は協定に強く反発。３カ国は「冷戦的な精神構造」を有しているとし、世界の安全性を損なうことになると非難した。

国家安全保障戦略の概要によると、米国にとって中国はゆっくりと迫る脅威、ロシアは緊急の脅威だという。米太平洋艦隊で潜水艦部隊の司令官を務めるジャブロン氏が明らかにした。

現在潜水艦部隊のおよそ６割が太平洋に配備されている背景には、そうした厳しい状況があると、同氏は付け加えた。

中国軍の進歩を目の当たりにしつつも、専門家らは海中での戦闘にかけてなら、まだ米国に相当の強みがあるとみている。

米海軍の元大佐で、米太平洋軍統合情報センターの作戦責任者を務めたこともあるカール・シュスター氏は「潜水艦は、米国が依然として確固たる優位性を中国に対して保っている領域だ」と指摘。ステルス性と攻撃力を併せ持つプラットフォームであり、中国海軍の攻撃を生き延びるだけの能力を有するとの見解を示した。

(to be continued)

Translation:

Honolulu, Hawaii (CNN) - In the eyes of Rear Admiral Jeffrey Jablon, hundreds of feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean and protected by one of the U.S. Navy's most technologically advanced installations, it was clearly visible that his team were facing two very big challenges.

Mr. Jablon, on board the nuclear attack submarine "USS Mississippi" which belonged to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, explained that "In today's world, our country is facing two adversaries, both of whom have nuclear weapons. We have never had a situation like that before".

"The former Soviet Union, which is now Russia, was an equal enemy to us in terms of nuclear capabilities. Now we are facing China, which is expanding and modernizing its own nuclear capabilities." (Mr. Jablon)

That day, the Virginia-class submarine Mississippi left her base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and slid under the wave of the world's largest ocean for her routine duty.

Aboard the ship, more than 130 sailors were assigned to their respective posts and carried out a number of well-practiced missions.

More than ten sailors were on duty in the control room. Some explored obstacles with sonar, while others were responsible for diving in the dark depths of the ocean.

When I went down to the torpedo hangar, the engineers were practicing loading. The aim was to ensure operational readiness at all times. Further down on the floor, engineers were checking the proper functioning of the hydraulic system.

Crew members described the work as cramped and potentially claustrophobic. As they spend long periods at sea, they developed a strong bond with each other, almost like a family.

Jack O'Brien, a 22-year-old machinist from Massachusetts, said of his colleagues that "We see each other every day, we work together every day, we sleep next to each other."

"Even when I'm in port, I work on board from sunrise to sunset."

AUKUS submarine agreement

CNN reporters had been granted exclusive access to the USS Mississippi amid growing concerns over the nuclear arms race in Asia. Jablon said this submarine was one of 49 attack submarines in the US fleet. The purpose of this interviews was to find out how the US government was preparing to deter a potential conflict in the region.

Submarines were hard to spot, hard to destroy, and could travel incredible distances. The role that submarines played became the impetus for the US, UK and Australia to announce details of a nuclear submarine agreement this month. The move was expected to further enhance cooperation between the three countries and seen as to counter China's rapid military expansion.

Under the so-called AUKUS Agreement, Australia would purchase three Virginia-class submarines from the United States in the early 2030s. This would require parliamentary approval.

China strongly opposed to the agreement. It accused the three countries of having a "Cold War mentality" that would undermine global security.

According to an outline of the National Security Strategy, China was a slowly looming threat to the United States, while Russia was an imminent threat. Jablon the commander of submarine forces in the U.S. Pacific Fleet clarified this.

He added that such a difficult situation was behind the fact that about 60 percent of the submarine fleet were now deployed in the Pacific.

Despite witnessing China's military advances, experts still believed that the United States had considerable advantages when it came to fighting under the sea.

Karl Schuster, a former U.S. Navy captain and former chief of operations for the U.S. Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Center pointed out that “Submarines are an area where the United States still has a strong edge over China". He held the view that this was a platform that combined stealth and attack power, and could survive a Chinese naval attack.

(to be continued)

研究烏克蘭戰爭，中國軍事思維擔心美國導彈、星鏈 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Studying Ukraine war, China's military minds fret over US missiles, Starlink (1/2)

Tue, March 7, 2023 at 6:10 p.m. PST

By Eduardo Baptista and Greg Torode

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) -China needs the capability to shoot down low-earth-orbit Starlink satellites and defend tanks and helicopters against shoulder-fired Javelin missiles, according to Chinese military researchers who are studying Russia's struggles in Ukraine in planning for possible conflict with U.S.-led forces in Asia.

A Reuters review of almost 100 articles in more than 20 defence journals reveals an effort across China's military-industrial complex to scrutinize the impact of U.S. weapons and technology that could be deployed against Chinese forces in a war over Taiwan.

The Chinese-language journals, which also examine Ukrainian sabotage operations, reflect the work of hundreds of researchers across a network of People's Liberation Army (PLA)-linked universities, state-owned weapons manufacturers and military intelligence think-tanks.

While Chinese officials have avoided any openly critical comments about Moscow's actions or battlefield performance as they call for peace and dialogue, the publicly available journal articles are more candid in their assessments of Russian shortcomings.

China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment about the researchers' findings. Reuters could not determine how closely the conclusions reflect the thinking among China's military leaders.

Two military attaches and another diplomat familiar with China's defence studies said the Communist Party's Central Military Commission, headed by President Xi Jinping, ultimately sets and directs research needs, and that it was clear from the volume of material that Ukraine was an opportunity the military leadership wanted to seize. The three people and other diplomats spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss their work publicly.

A U.S. defence official told Reuters that despite differences with the situation in Taiwan, the Ukraine war offered insights for China.

"A key lesson the world should take away from the rapid international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine is that aggression will increasingly be met with unity of action," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the topic's sensitivity, without addressing concerns raised in the Chinese research about specific U.S. capabilities.

STARLINK GAZING

Half a dozen papers by PLA researchers highlight Chinese concern at the role of Starlink, a satellite network developed by Elon Musk's U.S.-based space exploration company SpaceX, in securing the communications of Ukraine's military amid Russian missile attacks on the country's power grid.

"The excellent performance of 'Starlink' satellites in this Russian-Ukrainian conflict will certainly prompt the U.S. and Western countries to use 'Starlink' extensively" in possible hostilities in Asia, said a September article co-written by researchers at the Army Engineering University of the PLA.

The authors deemed it "urgent" for China - which aims to develop its own similar satellite network – to find ways to shoot down or disable Starlink. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.

The conflict has also forged an apparent consensus among Chinese researchers that drone warfare merits greater investment. China has been testing drones in the skies around Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy that Beijing has vowed to bring under its control.

"These unmanned aerial vehicles will serve as the 'door kicker' of future wars," noted one article in a tank warfare journal published by state-owned arms manufacturer NORINCO, a supplier to the PLA, that described drones' ability to neutralize enemy defences.

While some of the journals are operated by provincial research institutes, others are official publications for central government bodies such as the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, which oversees weapons production and military upgrades.

An article in the administration's official journal in October noted that China should improve its ability to defend military equipment in view of the "serious damage to Russian tanks, armored vehicles and warships" inflicted by Stinger and Javelin missiles operated by Ukrainian fighters.

Collin Koh, a security fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the Ukrainian conflict had provided impetus to long-standing efforts by China's military scientists to develop cyber-warfare models and find ways of better protecting armor from modern Western weapons.

"Starlink is really something new for them to worry about; the military application of advanced civilian technology that they can't easily replicate," Koh said.

Beyond technology, Koh said he was not surprised that Ukrainian special forces operations inside Russia were being studied by China, which, like Russia, moves troops and weapons by rail, making them vulnerable to sabotage.

Despite its rapid modernization, the PLA lacks recent combat experience. China's invasion of Vietnam in 1979 was its last major battle – a conflict that rumbled on until the late 1980s.

Reuters' review of the Chinese journals comes amid Western concern that China may be planning to supply Russia with lethal aid for its assault on Ukraine, which Beijing denies.

(to be continued)

Translation

北京/香港（路透社）- 正在研究俄羅斯在烏克蘭的戰爭，以便規劃與美國領導的亞洲軍隊可能發生的衝突的中國軍事研究人員表示，中國需要具備擊落近地軌道星鏈衛星並保護坦克和直升機免受肩扛式標槍導彈攻擊的能力。

路透社對中國 20 多家國防期刊上的近 100 篇文章進行的審閱顯示，中國軍工聯合體正在努力細察可能在台灣戰爭中針對中國軍隊部署的美國武器和技術的影響。

這些中文期刊也研究了烏克蘭的破壞行動，反映了數百名研究人員在人民解放軍 (PLA) 相關大學、國有武器製造商和軍事情報智囊團網絡中的工作。

雖然中國官員呼籲和平與對話, 並避免公開對莫斯科的行動或戰場表現發表任何批評，但公開發表的期刊文章對俄羅斯缺點的評估比較坦率。

中國國防部沒有回應就研究人員的調查結果置評的請求。 路透社無法確定這些結論在多大程度上反映了中國軍方領導人的想法。

兩名武官和另一名熟悉中國國防研究的外交官表示，由以習近平主席為首的中共中央軍事委員會會作出最終研究要求及領導方向，從大量材料中可以清楚地看出，烏克蘭是一個機會軍方領導層想抓住的。 這三人和其他外交官在不願透露姓名的情況下與路透社交談，因為他們無權公開討論自身的工作。

一位美國國防官員告訴路透社，儘管與台灣的情況存在差異，但烏克蘭戰爭為中國提供了對複雜情況有更清晰和深刻的理解。

一位官員，由於話題的敏感性，不願透露姓名地說:“世界應該吸取的一個重要教訓是, 從國際社會對俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭的快速反應看到，侵略將越來越多地被團結的行動應對”; 但他沒有觸及研究中提出對美國特定軍事能力的擔憂。

凝視星鏈

PLA 研究人員的六篇論文強調了中國對 Starlink 作用的擔憂，Starlink 是馬斯克的美國太空探索公司 SpaceX 開發的衛星網絡，在俄羅斯導彈襲擊該國電網的情況下,確保烏克蘭軍方的通信安全。

解放軍的陸軍工程大學研究人員在 9 月與人合著的一篇文章說, 在亞洲可能發生的敵對行動中:“‘星鏈’衛星在這次俄烏衝突中的出色表現肯,定會促使美國和西方國家廣泛使用‘星鏈’”。

作者認為，對於旨在發展自己的類似衛星網絡的中國來說，找到擊落或 癱瘓Starlink 的方法是“緊迫的”。 SpaceX 沒有回應置評請求。

這場衝突還在中國研究人員中形成了一個明顯的共識，即無人機戰爭值得更多投資。 中國一直在台灣周圍的天空測試無人機，台灣是一個自治民主體系，北京發誓要將其置於其控制之下。

解放軍的供應商國有武器製造商NORINCO在坦克戰雜誌上發表的一篇文章指出， “這些無人駕駛飛行器將成為未來戰爭的‘開門器’”;該文章描述了無人機摧毀敵人防禦的能力 .

雖然有些期刊由省級研究機構運營，但其他期刊是中央政府機構的官方出版物，例如負責監督武器生產和軍事升級的國家國防科技工業局。

政府官方雜誌 10 月發表的一篇文章指出，鑑於烏克蘭戦士使用的毒刺和標槍導彈對 “俄羅斯坦克、裝甲車和軍艦造成的嚴重破壞” ，中國應提高其防禦軍事裝備的能力。

新加坡 S. Rajaratnam 國際研究學院的安全研究員 Collin Koh 表示，烏克蘭衝突推動了中國軍事科學家長期努力開發網絡戰模型,並尋找更好地保護裝甲免受現代西方武器攻擊的方法。

Koh 說: “Starlink 確實是他們擔心的新事物；這是他們無法輕易複製的先進民用技術作軍事應用，”。

除了技術之外，Koh 表示，他對中國正在研究烏克蘭特種部隊在俄羅斯境內的行動並不感到驚訝，中國與俄羅斯一樣，通過鐵路運送軍隊和武器，這使得它們容易受到破壞。

儘管現代化迅速，但解放軍缺乏近期的戰鬥經驗。 中國在 1979 年入侵越南是最後一場重大戰役 - 這場衝突一直持續到 1980 年代後期。

路透社對中國期刊進行評論之際，西方擔心中國可能計劃向俄羅斯提供致命援助以應對其對烏克蘭的攻擊，北京對此予以否認。

（待續）

World's largest semiconductor producer Taiwan TSMC considers building a second factory in Japan

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

半導体生産で世界最大手 台湾TSMC 日本に2番目の工場建設検討

2023年1月12日 20時40分

半導体の受託生産で世界最大手の台湾のTSMCは、日本で2番目となる半導体工場の建設を検討していることを明らかにしました。

これは会社が12日、オンラインで開いた決算発表の記者会見で魏哲家CEOが明らかにしました。

魏CEOは「日本で2番目の工場の建設を検討している」と述べ、条件として「顧客の需要と政府の支援が合理的な水準であること」を挙げました。

TSMCは現在、日本で初めての工場をソニーグループなどと共同で熊本県に建設中で、来年末までに量産を始める予定です。

TSMCは各国から工場建設の誘致を受けていて先月、アメリカのアリゾナ州で最先端の半導体を生産する工場を新たに建設すると発表しています。

一方、TSMCの去年1年間の決算は、売り上げが前の年より42.6％多い2兆2638億台湾元、およそ9兆8000億円、最終的な利益は前の年より70.4％多い1兆165億台湾元、およそ4兆4000億円で、いずれも過去最高を更新しました。

Translation

Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest contract manufacturer of semiconductors, revealed that it was considering building a second semiconductor factory in Japan.

This was announced by CEO CC Wei at the company's online financial results announcement press conference on the 12th.

CEO Wei said, ``We are considering building a second factory in Japan,'' and cited ``a reasonable level of customer demand and government support'' as a condition.

TSMC was currently constructing Japan's first factory in Kumamoto Prefecture jointly with the Sony Group and others, and planned to start mass production by the end of next year.

TSMC had received invitations to build factories from various countries, and last month announced that it would build a new factory to produce state-of-the-art semiconductors in Arizona, USA.

On the other hand, TSMC's financial results for last year showed sales of NT$2.2638 trillion, about 9.8 trillion yen, up 42.6% from the previous year, and the final profit was 1.0165 trillion yuan, about 4.4 trillion yen, up 70.4% from the previous year, both of which were new record highs.

              So, Taiwan's TSMC has revealed that it is considering building a second semiconductor factory in Japan. It seems that the company is diversifying its production centre away from Taiwan and I am wondering if this is a response to the tense situation caused by threats from mainland China.

Japan-U.S. Strengthen Military Ties - Reorganization of U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa to Deter China

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

日米が軍事関係強化、中国の抑止念頭に沖縄の米海兵隊改編へ

2023.01.12 Thu posted at 11:22 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） 日米両国は１１日、双方の軍事関係を大幅に強化し、日本における米軍の態勢を刷新すると発表した。これには改編された米海兵隊部隊の駐留も含まれる。同部隊は先進的な諜報（ちょうほう）・偵察能力のほか、対艦ミサイルの発射能力も備える。事情を把握する米国の当局者２人が明らかにした。

改編された「海兵沿岸連隊」の配備については、日米の外務・防衛担当閣僚協議（２プラス２）に臨んだ米国のオースティン国防長官が記者会見で発表した。会見にはブリンケン国務長官のほか日本側の林芳正外相、浜田靖一防衛相も同席した。

オースティン氏によると当該の連隊は戦闘力や機動性を高めており、配備は地域の抑止力拡大につながる。米軍が日本及び日本国民をより効果的に防衛することが可能になる見通しだという。

発表は中国に強力なメッセージを送るもので、日米が策定した一連の構想の一環。この構想は安全保障と諜報における両国間の結びつきを加速することを念頭に置く。

１３日にはバイデン大統領と岸田文雄首相による日米首脳会談がホワイトハウスで行われる予定。 

上記の海兵沿岸連隊は沖縄に配備され、即応部隊として日本の防衛に当たる。複数の米当局者が１１日に明らかにした。沖縄は台湾に近いことなどから、太平洋における米軍の作戦上の重要地点とみなされている。２０を超える沖縄の米軍基地には、２万５０００人以上の米軍要員が駐留する。日本の米軍基地のおよそ７割が沖縄に集中している。

今回の海兵沿岸連隊の沖縄配備は、米軍にとってこの数年で最も重要な改編だと当局者の１人は指摘する。これに先駆け、ワシントンの有力なシンクタンクが机上演習（シミュレーション）を行い、中国との軍事紛争において日本、とりわけ沖縄が極めて重大な役割を果たすとも分析していた。

このほかにも日米は１１日、両国の防衛協定を拡大し、宇宙空間での攻撃もその内容に含めると発表した。背景には急速な進歩を遂げる中国の宇宙計画や極超音速兵器の開発についての懸念の高まりがある。

Translation

(CNN) The United States and Japan announced on Monday that they would significantly strengthen their military ties and revamp the posture of the U.S. forces in Japan. This would include the presence of a reorganized U.S. Marine Corps unit. The unit would have advanced intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities, as well as the ability to launch anti-ship missiles. Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter said this.

The deployment of the reorganized "Marine Coastal Regiment" was announced at a press conference by US Secretary of Defense Austin during the Japan-US Foreign and Defense Ministerial Talks (2+2). The press conference was attended by Secretary of State Brinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Defense Minister Seiichi Hamada.

Austin said the regiment would become more combat and mobile, and the deployment could increase deterrence in the region. It was expected that the US military would be able to defend Japan and its people more effectively.

The announcement sent a powerful message to China and was part of a series of initiatives developed by the United States and Japan. The initiative sought to accelerate ties between the two countries in security and intelligence.

President Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would hold a Japan-US summit at the White House on the 13th.

The Marine Coastal Regiment mentioned above would be deployed to Okinawa and could serve as a readiness force to defend Japan. This was according to multiple U.S. officials on the 11th. Due to its proximity to Taiwan and other factors, Okinawa was considered an important operational point for U.S. forces in the Pacific. More than 25,000 US military personnel are stationed at more than 20 US military bases on Okinawa. About 70% of the US military bases in Japan were concentrated in Okinawa.

The deployment of the Marine Coastal Regiment to Okinawa would be the most significant restructuring of the U.S. military in years, one official said. Prior to this, an influential think tank in Washington conducted a tabletop exercise (simulation), and analyzed that Japan, especially Okinawa, would play an extremely important role in a military conflict with China.

In addition, Japan and the United States announced on the 11th that they would expand their defense pact to include attacks in outer space. This came amid growing concerns about China's rapidly advancing space program and hypersonic weapon development.

So, the US and Japan will significantly strengthen their military ties and revamp the posture of the U.S. forces in Japan by reorganizing the U.S. Marine Corps unit. It is quite clear that the level of confrontation in the area is increasing.

New model of Chinese military drone flying between Okinawa main island and Miyako island confirmed - Ministry of Defense

Recently HNK News on-line reported the following:

初確認機種の中国軍無人機 沖縄本島と宮古島の間を飛行 防衛省

2023年1月1日 23時18分

防衛省は1日、中国軍の無人機が沖縄本島と宮古島の間の上空を飛行したと発表しました。初めて確認した機種だということで警戒と監視を続けています。

防衛省によりますと、1日午前から午後にかけて、中国軍の偵察型無人機「WZ7」1機が沖縄本島と宮古島の間の上空を飛行して東シナ海から太平洋の方向に通過したのが確認されました。

無人機は宮古島の南の上空で旋回したあと、同じコースを戻って中国大陸の方向へ飛行したということです。

航空自衛隊の戦闘機がスクランブル＝緊急発進して対応し領空侵犯はありませんでした。

防衛省によりますと、この機種を日本周辺で確認したのは初めてで、これまでに確認した中国軍の無人機としては4機種目だということです。

防衛省は中国軍がさまざまな機種の無人機を活用して運用能力の向上を図っている可能性があるとみて、警戒と監視を続けています。

Translation

The Ministry of Defense announced on the 1st that a Chinese military drone flew over the area between the main island of Okinawa and Miyakojima. As it was the first confirmed model, vigilance and monitoring would be continued.

According to the Ministry of Defense, from the morning to the afternoon on the 1st, a reconnaissance-type drone "WZ7" of the Chinese military flew over the area between the main island of Okinawa and Miyako Island; and passed from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

After circling in the sky south of Miyako Island, the drone returned to the same course and flew in the direction of mainland China.

Air Self-Defense Force fighters responded by scramble = emergency launch, and there was no airspace violation.

According to the Ministry of Defense, a new model had been confirmed around Japan, and the fourth type of Chinese military drone that was confirmed so far.

The Ministry of Defense continued vigilance and monitoring, and saw the possibility that the Chinese military was using various types of drones to improve their operational capabilities.

              So, according Japan, this is the first time that another new model of drone from China is confirmed to appear around Japan. It seems that drones are being used more frequently to carry out military operations.