00:00The Taiwan military says these robot patrol dogs may soon keep watch on disputed islands in the
00:07South China Sea. Taiwan has been modernizing its armed forces as Beijing ramps up pressure
00:14on the self-governed island, which China claims as its own territory. The military-owned National
00:21Chengshan Institute of Science and Technology showed off three versions of the dogs in Taipei.
00:26They're built on a platform made by U.S. military supplier Ghost Robotics, a major manufacturer
00:33of the four-legged machines. The Institute says it has added its own tech, producing versions
00:38for reconnaissance, surveillance and a fire power dog with a gun on its back.
00:44Zhen Kuo-Kwang is a deputy head of the Institute's Missile and Rocket Systems Research Division.
00:49He says the military has expressed the need for tools like robot dogs, but that they've
00:54yet to place an order.
00:56The Marines believe that on beaches in the coastline, including for the Coast Guard in Dongsha
01:01and Nansha for patrols and inspection, there is a pressing need. As for the Army, they have
01:07a need to help with patrols in the military camp. Therefore, we will organize based on the
01:15needs and the location of camps to fulfill the requirements of different assignments. From
01:20there onwards, we will gradually expand to different locations.
01:27Nansha and Dongsha refer to the Spratly and Pratas Islands in the South China Sea, respectively.
01:33China claims Taiwan and almost the entire South China Sea. Taiwan's government rejects that
01:39claim. Taiwan claims one major island in the Spratlys called Ituaba and controls all of the
01:45Pratas, which sit at a strategic location at the top end of the South China Sea. Their
01:51defense is the responsibility of Taiwan's Coast Guard in peacetime, and they are the island's
01:56only permanent presence. Last month, Chinese and Taiwanese Coast Guard ships were engaged
02:02in a tense two-day standoff near the Pratas. Taiwan has also reported a growing number of
02:07Chinese Coast Guard patrols and even drones near the Pratas in recent months.
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