Defection of Chang Hsien-yi to U.S. Dealt Fatal Blow to Taiwan's Nuclear Ambitions, New Book Reveals

Taiwan's pursuit of nuclear weapons in the 1980s, a secret military project alongside ballistic missile and fighter jet development, met a definitive end in 1988 with the defection of Chang Hsien-yi, deputy director of the Nuclear Research Institute of the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology, to the United States. Chang's defection exposed the program, leading to strong U.S. intervention that ultimately dismantled Taiwan's nuclear ambitions.

Tong Chao-chin, who served as the director of the Atomic Energy Council's comprehensive planning department during the Chang incident and later held prominent positions in the financial sector, offers a critical assessment in his new book, "Taiwan's Nuclear Bomb: A Delusion of Nuclear Weapons and Human Struggle." Tong argues that the U.S. demanded that both existing and newly constructed "hot cells" at the research institute be sealed with cement, a move he believes highlights the unwisdom of the original conception.

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We chose the Indigenous Defense Fighter because we designed and developed it ourselves, allowing us to modify its combat radius. At the time, we hoped to increase the combat radius to over 1,000 kilometers, which would effectively coordinate with the nuclear bomb's range.

In his analysis, nearly 40 years later, Tong contends that decisions and "delusional suggestions" made by a group of engineers with a narrow perspective proved to be the critical factor that allowed external forces to deliver a fatal blow to Taiwan's nuclear weapons capability. The program, which included research into miniaturizing atomic bombs for potential deployment on the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) jets, was a significant undertaking aimed at countering China's military and nuclear threats.

Tong's book, published by Times Publishing, draws on his firsthand observations and diaries from the time. He details the complex interplay of power struggles within the institute, the pressure exerted by the U.S. through what he describes as an "unequal treaty" and surprise inspections, and his own diplomatic efforts to secure a safeguard agreement with France amidst U.S. dominance. The narrative explores how the nuclear research institute transformed from a defense stronghold into a tool for bureaucratic power struggles, and how Taiwan's nuclear autonomy was effectively curtailed.

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The decisions and delusional suggestions made by a group of engineers with limited vision ultimately became the key for external forces to deliver a fatal blow to our nuclear weapons capability.