"Taiwan Deploys Harpoon Missiles Imported from US on Outlying Islands"

Taiwan National Defense and Security Research Institute, "Effective in Striking Chinese Vessels"
Border Area Covered by Chinese Sand Dredgers...Suspected Encirclement Drills
Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office: "Only a Path of Death Ahead for DPP Authorities"

The AMG-84 Harpoon missile, an anti-ship missile used by the US military
[Image source=US Navy official website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As the Taiwanese government is expected to deploy Harpoon missiles and defense systems, which are anti-ship missiles sold by the United States, to the outer island areas bordering China, tensions between the two sides are anticipated to escalate further. Civilian vessels such as Chinese sand dredgers are also being positioned around the island areas of the Taiwan Strait, raising suspicions that China may be conducting exercises for the wartime mobilization of civilian vessels.

According to Taiwan's Liberty Times on the 28th, the National Defense Safety Research Institute (INDSR), a think tank under Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, recently reported that Taiwan will deploy the Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS), an anti-ship missile defense system sold by the United States, to Taiwan's outer islands. The report analyzed that if the Harpoon anti-ship missile system is established in the Matsu and Penghu areas bordering China, it would be able to effectively strike Chinese military vessels stationed along the Chinese coast in the event of an emergency.

INDSR researcher Su Ziyun explained that the advanced weapons sold by the United States to Taiwan include 25 radar vehicles capable of effectively identifying targets, and if the MQ-9 Reaper drones, which the U.S. plans to sell additionally, are introduced in the future, Taiwan's long-range precision strike capabilities will be strengthened.

At the regular briefing of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China on the same day, reporters asked many questions regarding the quasi-wartime state between the two sides raised by Zhao Jianmin, Dean of the School of Social Sciences at Taiwan Chinese Culture University. Earlier, at a forum held on the 24th, Dean Zhao stated eight reasons, including the massive appearance of Chinese sand dredgers around the Matsu area encircling the islands and large-scale landing exercises being conducted in Fujian and Guangdong provinces, claiming that cross-strait relations are moving toward a quasi-wartime state, which sparked controversy.

According to Liberty Times, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, said, "We are not aware of the controversy, but the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan are colluding with external forces to undermine peace and stability," and strongly criticized the Taiwanese government, saying, "Actions that lead the Taiwanese people to a serious disaster will ultimately be a path to death."