NAIROBI, Kenya- In the aftermath of the deadly explosions in Lebanon, the Taiwanese government has denied any involvement in the production of components used in the pagers that triggered the blasts.
With questions swirling around the origin of these devices, Taiwan’s response adds another layer to the growing international intrigue surrounding the incident.
Earlier this week, explosions rocked Lebanon, killing 12 people—including two children—and injuring nearly 3,000 others.
The Lebanese government has attributed the incident, as well as a separate attack involving walkie-talkies, to Hezbollah, blaming Israel for what is being seen as a major escalation in the conflict between the two adversaries.
As the investigation unfolded, attention quickly turned to the origin of the explosive devices. Among them were pagers allegedly used by Hezbollah.
However, Taiwan’s economy minister, Kuo Jyh-huei, was quick to clarify: “The components for Hezbollah’s pagers were not produced by us.”
According to Kuo, Taiwan has no history of exporting this particular pager model, and a judicial inquiry has been launched to get to the bottom of the issue.
Gold Apollo, the Taiwanese company at the center of the controversy, also denied involvement. The company’s CEO, Hsu Ching-Kuang, explained that while his company did license the “Gold Apollo” trademark, it was to a Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, which has its own production processes.
The Hungarian government has claimed that BAC has “no manufacturing or operational site” within its borders.
Adding to the complexity, Japan’s Icom Corporation also found itself drawn into the story. Exploding walkie-talkies bearing the Icom logo were used in a second attack in Lebanon, killing 20 and injuring hundreds more.
The company distanced itself from the devices, stating that production of those models had been discontinued over a decade ago.
These incidents highlight the increasing difficulty in tracking the origins of electronic components in a highly globalized supply chain.
The interconnectedness of manufacturers, shell companies, and licensing agreements means that pinpointing responsibility isn’t always straightforward.
For Hezbollah, the explosions have escalated tensions with Israel. The Iranian-backed militant group blamed Israel for the attacks and vowed “just retribution,” while the Israeli military has refrained from commenting on the situation.
The two sides have been locked in cross-border skirmishes since the Gaza conflict erupted last October, and this latest development only deepens the conflict.
