Taipei
Taiwan plans to build biosecurity research and development centres to strengthen its defence against biological warfare. However, it has been emphasized that biological weapons will not be developed in this project. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry stated that this planned construction is being done because of the increase of highly infectious pathogens in recent years.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry denied reports that Taipei has been asked by the US to develop a weaponized biological agent. The ministry explained that the centres that have been planned and will be built by the medical affairs bureau of the ministry will strengthen the island nation’s ability to contain the pandemic.
To deal with nuclear and biological warfare, the military is emphasizing defence and security, said Yang Chung-chi, spokesman for the Defense Ministry’s Medical Affairs Bureau. The purpose of setting up the P4 Lab by the National Defense Medical Center is primarily to detect the pathogens of diseases and epidemics so that countermeasures can be taken.
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and the Convention on their Destruction has been signed by Taiwan, which prohibits the production, acquisition, development and retention of biological and toxin weapons, the spokesman said. imposes restrictions.
We will never develop, manufacture, store or acquire biological and toxic agents for military use, he added. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen also called the report fabricated and disinformation, saying that no meeting was held to discuss the development of bio-weapons. He said the move was taken because Taiwan continues to face threats from Beijing, which considers the island nation as part of its territory.
China has vowed to take it back under its control by force if needed. Tensions between the two countries have escalated since August last year as China stepped up military activities around Taiwan, including sending warplanes to the middle line.
