Taiping Island
The Taiwanese government plans to expand its wharf at Taiping Island in the South China Sea to accommodate larger vessels as part of its ongoing military enhancement project in the disputed region.
The Taiwanese Coast Guard Administration (CGA), which is responsible for defending the outlying islet, is expected to spend NT$19 million to upgrade Taiping’s wharf facilities, the Chinese-language United Evening News reported. These improvements will allow 500-ton or larger vessels to dock in the port, the newspaper added.
The project is part of the CGA’s plan to enhance its military presence in the area amid escalating tensions over the region.
Currently the wharf at Taiping Island — the largest island in the Spratly Islands— is relatively outdated. Only smaller speedboats may dock at its facilities.
According to a budget proposal made by the CGA for fiscal year 2013, the administration will spend a total of NT$143 million on a two-year project at the islet to boost its defence capability. Of this sum, NT$19 million will be used to refurbish the wharf, the report said.
In September of last year, eight sets of 40mm autocannons and several 120mm mortars were installed on the Taiwan-controlled islet.
Taiping, which lies around 1,600 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung, is now manned by more than 100 Coast Guard troops.
Other than the wharf, facilities on Taiping also include a radar station, a meteorological centre, a power plant, and an airstrip, which was built in 2008 as well as a shelter for fishermen.
Mainland China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines also claim all or part of the Spratly archipelago.
*US$1=NT$ 28.96
Source: The China Post “Taiwan to expand Taiping wharf: report”Related Articles
- China might be moving closer to ASEAN on South China Sea. (chinadailymail.com)
- China gives police power to board and expel foreign ships in South China Sea (chinadailymail.com)
- South China Sea enters gunboat diplomacy (chinadailymail.com)
- Draft act defines Spratlys and Paracels as Taiwan’s: minister (wantchinatimes.com)
- Taiwan’s new early warning radar system covers as far as 3,000 nautical miles (wantchinatimes.com)
- Taiwan to Start Exploring for Oil, Gas in South China Sea in 2013 (sfluxe.com)
Categories: Defence & Aerospace
How Russia-Ukraine copied Finland war without lessons 
China plans system to take out asteroids hurtling toward earth 
Russia-Japan tensions flare anew over the Kurils 
Solomon Islands has Washington in state of alarm after a security pact with China 
China News 
Reblogged this on Jesse Steele and commented:
Yeah! A strong Taiwan! God knows that they’ll be a LOT nicer to the others who dispute Taiping than the Chinese would. Beijing doesn’t want us to lecture them. So, DON’T lecture Beijing. Just fortify!
LikeLike
aka Itu Aba island on Google Earth
LikeLike