President Presides Over July General Promotion Ceremony, Calls for Bipartisan Support for Unmanned Vehicle Military Buildup Plan

(CNA, Taipei, June 24) President Lai Ching-te said today that in the face of regional changes and complex challenges, the government will continue to increase defense budgets and strengthen the combat capabilities of the armed forces. Unmanned vehicles are an international trend in military development and a crucial element in enhancing asymmetric warfare capabilities. He called on all political parties to support the draft "Special Regulations for the Procurement of Indigenous Unmanned Vehicles for National Defense" to promote a NT$210 billion military buildup plan, thereby strengthening national defense autonomy and defense resilience.

The President, accompanied by Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an, National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo, and Chief of the General Staff Paul M. T. Chen, presided over the July general promotion and awarding ceremony this morning at the Presidential Office.

President Lai congratulated Tung Chi-hsing and Chien Shih-yuan on their promotion to lieutenant general. He stated that Tung Chi-hsing has long been involved in the armed forces' combat readiness planning, disaster relief, and training program development, demonstrating meticulous planning abilities and excellent coordination skills, contributing significantly to enhancing the joint operational effectiveness of the armed forces. Tung Chi-hsing will serve as the Deputy Commander of the Sixth Corps, responsible for the important task of defending the northern region, and will undoubtedly assist the troops in strengthening combat readiness and enhancing regional defense resilience.

President Lai said that Chien Shih-yuan has extensive experience in fleet command and naval operational system planning. He has been promoted to lieutenant general and will be transferred to serve as the Commander of the Naval Coastal Warfare Command. The Coastal Warfare Command is a new unit that will be formally established on July 1, and Chien Shih-yuan will be its first commander. Building a unit from scratch requires more courage and patience than taking over an existing unit. It is expected that Chien Shih-yuan will, with a pioneering spirit, establish robust coastal warfare capabilities, making the Coastal Warfare Command a solid force for the armed forces in safeguarding maritime borders.

The President also congratulated Lin Kun-tzu and Lee Po-wen on their promotion to major general. He stated that both have complete experience and outstanding performance in grassroots unit command and staff work. They will be transferred to serve as the Commander of the 21st Artillery Command of the Army and the Commander of the Army Artillery Force Testing and Evaluation Center, respectively. He expressed his hope that they will improve the artillery training of the armed forces, implement the verification of tactics and strategies, and enhance the quality of troop training and overall combat effectiveness.

President Lai said that in the face of rapid regional changes and multi-dimensional, non-traditional complex challenges, he expects high-ranking generals to lead troop transformation with innovative thinking, continue to strengthen training, refine combat tactics, and improve overall combat effectiveness. The government will also persist in increasing the defense budget to give the armed forces greater combat power to safeguard national security. In particular, the development of unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned surface vessels is already an international military trend and a crucial element in strengthening asymmetric warfare capabilities.

He said that the Executive Yuan passed the draft "Special Regulations for the Procurement of Indigenous Unmanned Vehicles for National Defense" last week, planning to allocate an annual budget of up to NT$210 billion from this year to 2031. He expects the Legislative Yuan to support the Executive Yuan's plan across party lines, ensuring the smooth review of the relevant regulations and the preparation of the budget, thereby fulfilling the timeline for military buildup and readiness.

President Lai pointed out that through the development of unmanned vehicles, the goal is to strengthen domestic production capabilities for key modules, achieve local supply, indigenous production, and independent maintenance, ensuring that the armed forces can maintain their combat power and defense resilience at critical moments.

He said that the government is also continuously improving the treatment and care for the armed forces. In recent years, from the salary increases for civil servants, teachers, and military personnel to various allowances for combat units, regional operations, cyber warfare, electronic reconnaissance, and military medical services, reasonable support has been provided based on mission characteristics and workload. At the same time, the government is also continuing to promote legislative amendments for military insurance and parental leave with pay to improve relevant systems. The government will be the most solid backing for the armed forces, working together to safeguard national security and the way of life characterized by democracy and freedom. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150624

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