Taiwan Stocking Up on Critical Supplies: MOEA Deputy Minister 防中國封鎖 陳正祺:台灣正儲備關鍵物資

Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi told foreign reporters that Taiwan is preparing for critical supplies. Scholars say Taiwan can learn from the Russia-Ukraine War on how to defend and protect against China's possible attack.  

China has increased its military pressure on Taiwan and fired missiles near Taiwan as part of huge military drills following a visit by senior US politician Nancy Pelosi to the island in August. Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi during an interview with foreign correspondents said Taiwan is taking monthly inventories to stock up on critical supplies. One political expert shared his view saying that Taiwan being an island, is limited in its ways of receiving supplies, so stocking up becomes very important. 

Lin Ying-yu, Asst. Prof., Grad. Inst. of Int'l Affairs & Strategic Studies, TKU: “When you talk about supplies, the most important would most likely be natural gas, or oil, or any energy-related supplies. Without oil, without energy, there would be no electricity, no internet, and nothing would work. ”

Scholars said that Taiwan can learn from the Russia-Ukraine War on the use of critical supplies and make adjustments accordingly on how to react and respond in case of war. Meanwhile, Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua will be flying to Washington D.C. to attend an event held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) for a conversation with the CSIS experts on discussing the roles of Taiwan and the US in creating sustainable supply chains.  

Lai Shyh-bao, Legislator (KMT): “You are going to Washington D.C. next week to talk about the U.S. Chips and Science Act and supply chains and all that, is that right?”
Wang Mei-hua, Minister, MOEA: “We will be holding a Taiwan Expo in the U.S. and it will be Taiwan's first exposition in Washington D.C. I will explain other events to everyone at a later date.”

The Taiwan Expo USA will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center from Oct. 12 through 14th. This is the first time the Taiwan Expo event is being held in the U.S. where 83 Taiwanese companies will showcase their leading technologies, products, and solutions. Wang emphasized that she is mainly going for the expo but foreshadowed that there may be other things to come. 

裴洛西8月到訪台灣時，中國為此升高對台軍事壓力，並朝台灣發射飛彈，為了因應中國可能的對台封鎖行動及台海爆發衝突，陳正祺接受外媒採訪時表示，台灣正儲備關鍵物資，對此學者表示，台灣是海島，不可能像烏克蘭有路避開，因此戰前的能源物資的囤積就相對重要。

淡江大學戰略研究所助理教授林穎佑表示：「那這些物資的話最直接的，有可能就是像是天然氣或者是石油，或者是等等能源相關的物資，因為其實沒有石油或者沒有這些能源的話，你任何的電力任何的網路，任何的東西都沒有辦法去作用。」

學者表示，這回的俄烏戰爭是很好的借鏡，讓我們充分了解整個關鍵物資的運用，進而去做個調整布局以因應未來的局勢。另外，美台經貿合作升溫，華府智庫宣布，下週經濟部長王美花將會參加智庫舉辦的研討會，外界盛傳此行是為了台美科技貿易暨投資合作架構會議，王美花也首度回應。

國民黨立委賴士葆提問：「說你下禮拜要去華府，談有關於美國在推動的晶片法案，以及供應鏈等事情。」

王美花回應：「我想我們有一個台灣形象展，這個是我們首次在華府來舉辦，那其餘的我到時候會再跟各位做說明。」

今年度的美國台灣形象展將在10月12日至14日登場，地點在華府雷根大廈，也是台灣形象展首度赴美參展，將有83家台灣指標企業參展，王美花強調她是去參加形象展，並沒有談晶片其餘的事情，到時候再適度說明也為此行預留伏筆。