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."
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS