Actually, Switzerland should repair military equipment from Taiwan. Instead, Swiss company Leica Geosystems had Taiwanese rocket parts repaired at a factory in China. This is reported by the “Sonntagszeitung”. And this at a time when the conflict between China and Taiwan threatens to escalate.
Taiwan’s Hsiung Feng missile system primarily targets ships and aircraft carriers, making it essential to defend against the Chinese navy in the event of an attack. Missile steering components, called theodolites, measure angles between two points. According to the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, these theodolites were purchased in Switzerland in 2011. They were recently returned to manufacturer Leica Geosystems in the canton of St. Gallen due to problems.
Taiwan has since received the repaired parts back – but not from Switzerland, but directly from China’s Shandong province, the import documents showed. The military components came straight from the enemy camp – a shock to the Taiwanese military. It was concerned that the parts had been tampered with in China.
Parts for the Asian region are processed in China
Leica Geosystems advertises “Swiss Technology” on its website. Based in Heerbrugg SG, it belongs to the Swedish Hexagon Group, but also has a Chinese maintenance and repair facility, repairing parts for the Asian region. The Swiss company did not comment on the incident when asked, writes the “Sonntagszeitung”.
Taiwan uses the Hsiung Feng missiles to deter China. The Asian superpower considers the island in the Pacific as part of its own republic. Taiwan, on the other hand, insists on its independence. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, fears have grown that China might take a similar action to Russia against Taiwan in an attempt to annex the island.
Taiwan gives it all-clear
The Chung Shan Institute could now give it all-clear. So the theodolites were not manipulated. There were no holes in the security, the parts can be installed back into the missiles.
Nevertheless, a reprimand followed for the Swiss company. According to media reports, Taiwan has asked Leica Geosystems to do things differently in the future. You cannot afford such risky situations in such a sensitive time.