Visit of Taiwan Chief of General Staff

A highlight of this week’s Next Magazine is/was the visit of ROC Chief of General Staff (CGS) Admiral Lin Chen-i (林鎮夷) to the United States. Nadia Tsao from Liberty Times picked it up as well.

The reporting notes that ADM Lin’s main goals are/were to persuade the Obama administration to release F-16 C/D fighters, explore bilateral industrial cooperation and assembly of diesel electric submarines in Taiwan, and gain U.S. approval for the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) to take the lead for the second stage of the POSHENG C4ISR system. The POSHENG follow-on is referred to as the “AN-SHUN program” (安訊專案). The report notes concerns regarding Taiwan’s inability to develop a viable C4ISR system without U.S. support.

If reporting is accurate, the visit would have coincided with the HANGUANG 25 exercise in Taiwan and preceded the U.S. visit of PRC State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Director Wang Yi. Taiwan media reporting has highlighted that the HANKUANG 25 exercise includes a continuity of government scenario as well as a U.S. observer team headed by a retired U.S. admiral.

The last CGS to visit the U.S. (July 13-21, 2007) was Gen Huoh Shou-yueh.