By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard, Reuters — Wednesday 16 March 2021
Taiwan’s newly appointed Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told parliament that Taiwan has strengthened personnel and armament deployments on Itu Aba, the main island it occupies in the South China Sea, due to China’s “expansionism.” Separately, Minister Chiu confirmed that the United States has approved export permits for all sensitive equipment needed by Taiwan’s indigenous submarine fleet, currently under construction. “They are capable of starting a war,” Chiu said of China. “My goal is for us to be ready at all times.” Arms purchases from the US have not been impacted by the Biden administration taking office, he added.