Military Day award winner says some weapons need not be bought from the United States; Taiwan military distances itself from remarks

A Taiwan military award recipient used a Military Day interview to criticize the United States and argue that Taiwan’s armed forces did not need to buy some weapons from Washington.

Chiang Wen-lang, head of the Reserve Command’s national advisory group, received the “model reserve guidance cadre” award at a ceremony marking Military Day and National Defense Education Day. During an interview, he described the United States as overbearing and said some weapons did not need to be purchased from it.

The Reserve Command quickly distanced itself from the comments. It said the remarks were purely Chiang’s personal views and did not represent the position of Taiwan’s armed forces.

The command also emphasized its gratitude for the United States’ security commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, including the provision of defensive weapons. It said it would continue strengthening reserve-force readiness and national defense mobilization while carrying out its responsibility to protect the country and its people.

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The United States is overbearing.