TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Chief of the General Staff Mei Chia-shu (梅家樹) reported to the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign and National Defense Committee (外交及國防委員會) on Wednesday (June 26), marking his first appearance in nearly 25 years to discuss the 40th Han Kuang Drills (漢光四十號演習).
This event drew significant attention as the previous chiefs, Tang Fei (唐飛) in 1998 and Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) in 1999, had last appeared in full-dress uniforms, whereas Mei chose a suit, noting the "different temporal and spatial environments."
Former Chief Lee Hsi-ming (李喜明) voiced concerns over the credibility of such appearances, but Mei countered, stating his presence aids public and media understanding and support of the military, asserting it as his duty. He committed to transparently addressing non-confidential issues as permitted by law.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) also attended, affirming the chief’s duty to respond to the committee’s inquiries, though he does not foresee regular occurrences.
Mei highlighted the upcoming Han Kuang military exercise scheduled for July 22-26, noting significant adjustments to the war plan in response to threats. The exercise aims to acclimate the combined brigade to the island’s combat conditions and decentralized command, which emphasizes clarity in tasks, authorization, responsibilities, rules of engagement, and independent combat capability.