Taiwan Develops New Advanced Missiles, Drones, Vows To Protect Migrant Fishermen Amid Abuse Claims

According to a report by the military-owned group developing the weapons, Taiwan is developing missiles that can attack enemy air bases and bring down cruise missiles, as well as drones that can target their launching positions.

Taiwan authorized an increase in military spending of $8.20 billion for the next five years last year, as tensions with China, which claims the island as its territory, have reached a new high, and Chinese military jets have regularly flown past Taiwan's air defense identification zone.

Taiwan Advances Its Missile, Drone

Taiwan's defense ministry announced last month that it expects to more than increase its annual missile manufacturing capacity to close to 500 this year as it strengthens its combat capability.

The military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology provided further details about the missiles and drones it is developing in a report to parliament this week, a copy of which was read by Reuters.

The Hsiung Sheng land-attack missile has two versions: one with a high-explosive payload for hitting bunkers and reinforced command centers, and the other with "dispersal" ammunition for taking out airfield facilities, according to experts.

According to Chieh Chung of the Taipei-based National Policy Foundation, the Hsiung Sheng could reach most locations under the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command, including those near Shanghai and in Zhejiang province.

Political analysts anticipate that China will take advantage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine to invade Taiwan. Under the "one-China" policy, Beijing says Taiwan is an inalienable part of the nation and that if it refuses, it will be captured by force, WION reported.

Anti-ship weaponry, such as mass-produced domestic missiles and "high-performance" ships, will use this. Tsai, who has dubbed Taiwan the "champion of asymmetric warfare," has stated that modernizing the military is a primary priority for the country.

According to US Defense secretary Lloyd Austin, the first batch of MQ-9 Reaper drones will be delivered to Taiwan in 2025.

Taiwan Charges 9 People in Migrant Fishing Abuse

Meanwhile, Taiwan said on Thursday that it would invest more than $68.5 million to enhance the welfare of foreigners employed in the country's fishing sector, which has been accused of widespread migrant abuse. The island is home to the world's second-largest deep-sea fishing fleet, with vessels traveling isolated oceans for months, if not years, to provide the seafood that ends up on our grocery shelves.

However, the profitable business has been criticized for allegedly subjecting migrant workers to forced labor and other abuses, in contrast to the government's portrayal of Taiwan as a regional human-rights beacon. Premier Su Tseng-chang, who announced the financing for Taiwan's cabinet-approved "fishing industry and human rights action plan," said it aimed to enhance migrant fishermen's working circumstances.

Prosecutors accused nine individuals of allegedly exploiting and abusing foreign crew members on one vessel the day before. Activists have long warned that this type of assault goes unreported and unpunished, as per The Star. Prosecutors claim that the Taiwanese captain and first officer of the Da Wang fishing vessel abused migrants, including beating them, forcing them to work up to 20 hours a day, and forcing Muslims to eat pork.

Activists applauded the indictment, saying it was unusual for Taiwanese to be prosecuted in such circumstances, and urged authorities to follow through on commitments to reform the business. Following the death of an Indonesian crew member who was reportedly beaten in the head by the first officer, the Da Wang became the center of attention from rights activists and prosecutors in 2019.

Greenpeace obtained evidence from the crew stating that the corpses were kept in a freezer until the boat could dock in Fiji, and the vessel was eventually placed on the US blacklist.