Chapter Five
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easier for Taiwan to deliver any kind of supplies to Taiping Island–most
importantly materials to continue building Taiwan’s presence on the
island. A few months later, in July 2012, Taiwan announced that the
Ministry of National Defense would complete installation of cannons and
mortars on Taiping Island to enhance its military presence amid escalating
tension over the region. A total of eight sets of 40mm autocannons and a
number of 120mm mortars were shipped to the island by the end of
August.^34 This announcement followed a tense discussion on whether
Taiwan should place short-range Tien Chien missiles on Taiping Island, a
proposal pushed by some legislators.^35 These suggestions were quickly
rebuffed by the Ministry of National Defense which claimed that such a
move would create “political backlash and affect regular patrols of the
area.”^36 At the same time, maintenance of such missiles would be rather
difficult, given the distance from Taiwan. The newly installed weapons
were immediately tested in September 2012 in live-drill exercises.
In August 2013, Taiwan announced that over the next three years, it
would invest 112.5 million USD into the building of a new wharf at the
Taiping Island.^37 Following a feasibility study commissioned in April
2013, it was decided that the new wharf would replace the existing small
wharf and is planned to accommodate heavier Coast Guard vessels as well
as Navy ships. Such a wharf will substantially boost defense capabilities,
despite the Coast Guard emphasis that this new facility will be used
primarily for the purpose of environmental research. The new structure
will facilitate the mooring of large navy vessels and will permit the
unloading of heavy equipment which may be used to build more facilities
on the island, including an expansion of the existing airstrip. Such a
runway could then be used, for example, for the landing of fully loaded
Hercules C-130H transport aircraft to deliver more supplies and equipment
to the island,^38 as pointed out by Taiwan expert Michael J. Cole.
Additionally, the airstrip could also be used to station a P-3C Orion
aircraft, acquired from the U. S., to substantially boost Taiwan’s
surveillance capability. However, such a move would require a major
upgrade of the island’s facilities (such as the building of a hangar) as well
as policy changes–the presence of such an aircraft would require the re-
(^34) Yeh, “Cannons and Mortars to be Deployed on Taiping in South China Sea:
MND.”
(^35) Yeh, “Defense Minister Considers Taiping Missile Placement.”
(^36) ”MND Not Keen on Deploying Missiles on Spratly Islands“, 3.
(^37) “Taiping Island Wharf to Be Completed By 2016: Legislator.”
(^38) Cole, “Taiwan’s Power Grab in the South China Sea.”