To counter military threats from China, Taiwan may consider developing a civilian-based defense system to enhance its overall self-defense capabilities, university military instructors suggested yesterday.
The system suggested for adoption by the military is a defense concept relatively new to Taiwan.
It highlights the use of non-violent action by civilians to counter aggression from an enemy or suppression from the government. The non-violent action could take many forms, ranging from refusal to cooperate to protests and even sabotage.
It was first introduced into Taiwan by a group of DPP members as a way of resisting the former ruling KMT.
Albert Lin (林哲夫), chairman of the Taiwan Research Association of National Peace Security, is one of the most vigorous proponents of the system.
Through Lin's persuasion over the past few years, the military has been talked into accepting civilian-based defense and is ready to list it as one of the defense concepts to be taught in military education courses in senior high schools and colleges.
At a conference on such systems held yesterday by the research association, military instructors from colleges in Taipei expressed support for the acceptance of civilian-based defense as a concept that students from senior high schools up must learn.
Colonel Liao Teh-chih (廖德智), the chief of military instructors at Tamkang University, said the military may consider developing such a system as part of its defense capabilities. Liao made the remarks as he presented a paper at the conference.
"Civilian-based defense is a defense mechanism focused on civilians. Civilians should be trained for non-violent action they can launch against the enemy if their country is occupied by the enemy," Liao said.
"It could become a multiplier to the overall self-defense power of the country. It could also become a deterrent force against the enemy since the enemy will be worried about what kind of action it will meet from the people of the country they are going to invade," he said.
Quoting foreign scholar Gene Sharp, Liao said the system could be effectively used by Taiwan against a potential invasion from China. Sharp is one of the most distinguished scholars in the field of civilian-based defense. He visited Taiwan's Tri-Service University, the predecessor of the National Defense University, six years ago to speak on the subject.
"In his analysis of Taiwan's national defense, Sharp says it is hard for Taiwan to mobilize all of its military resources against a potential invasion from China since Taiwan is much smaller than China," Liao said.
"Sharp says if Taiwan keeps investing large sums of money on a military build-up, it will affect the nations's economic development. Sharp suggests that Taiwan develop alternative weapons to replace conventional weapons. The alternative weapons could be psychological, social, political or economic," he said.
Commenting on Liao's paper, National Security Council official Lieutenant General Liu Hsiang-pin (劉湘濱) cast doubts on the effectiveness of the system.
"There is nothing new about civilian-based defense. Our military already has similar concepts in its defense thinking. These concepts are generally known as part of our passive defense," Liu said.
"Civilian-based defense stresses the use of non-violent action against the aggressor. But action must be violent to achieve its greatest effect against the enemy," Liao said. "We must not put too much emphasis on civilian-based defense although it could be developed as part of our defensive power."
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old