HEATED EXCHANGE: The defense minister had a verbal fight with a KMT lawmaker over allegations that the military was being used for cheap labor in pandemic-related tasksBy Aaron Tu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter with staff writer and CNA 《TAIPEI TIMES》 Live-fire drills likely to be scaled down - 焦點 - - 趣味新聞網

Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng, right, and Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Legislator Lee Guei-min argue at the legislature in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

HEATED EXCHANGE: The defense minister had a verbal fight with a KMT lawmaker over allegations that the military was being used for cheap labor in pandemic-related tasks

By Aaron Tu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

The live-fire portion of the annual Han Kuang exercises is to continue as scheduled in July, but possibly on a smaller scale due to the domestic COVID-19 outbreak, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng （邱國正） told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee yesterday.

Asked at the meeting whether the exercises would be postponed as the number of domestic COVID-19 infections continues to rise, Chiu responded that the live-fire exercises would not be suspended, but would likely be downsized, with the number of military personnel participating in the drills to be reduced.

The 38th Han Kuang military exercises include simulated tabletop war games and live-fire drills. The tabletop exercise concluded on Friday last week, while the live-fire component is scheduled for July 25 to 29.

The tabletop exercise simulated the military’s tactics against possible Chinese invasion scenarios drawn from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of National Defense said.

The live-fire component is to be based on the outcome of the tabletop simulation.

Citing a report by Reuters, Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Legislator Wang Ting-yu （王定宇） told the meeting that Washington plans to provide Ukraine with ground-launched Harpoon anti-ship missiles to bolster its war effort, and asked whether those arms transfers could delay the delivery of such weapons to Taiwan, which has placed a NT$86.6 billion （US$2.94 billion） order for 400 of the missiles.

Chiu said that the ministry would urge Washington to ship the missiles to Taiwan according to the schedule and quantity stipulated in the contract.

“The ministry does not relent in matters concerning the lawful and contractual interests of our nation, which is not subject to change even by contingency,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chiu and Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Legislator Lee Kuei-min （李貴敏） had a table-slamming argument over allegations that military service members were being used as cheap labor in COVID-19 pandemic-related tasks.

After being asked a series of questions about the expenses associated with various types of pandemic work, Chiu replied that he is “not well informed about money or payment rates.”

“If you are not informed, maybe you should listen,” Lee said, before the two exchanged increasingly heated words.

“You are ridiculous,” Lee said.

“No, you are ridiculous,” Chiu responded.

DPP Legislator Lo Chih-cheng （羅緻政）, who chaired the meeting, rose from his seat multiple times before order was restored.

The hearing resumed after the two apologized to Lo for disrupting legislative business.

The exchange came three weeks after Chiu clashed with DPP Legislator Mark Ho （何誌偉） regarding the army’s treatment of reservists who were infected with COVID-19 when taking their refresher training.

新聞來源： TAIPEI TIMES

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