TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Given the threat of a Chinese invasion, Taiwan needs to do all it can to form a robust defense.
This includes teaching civilians military tactics and how to operate firearms. A strong, well-trained civilian force could have a supporting combat role during wartime and even assuage military recruitment woes.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) took a step in the right direction by establishing the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee in July, but there is too much emphasis on emergency and disaster responses. While those issues are important, barely any government initiatives are related to actual combat training for civilians.
Even the Civil Defense Office, under the National Police Agency, is focused on emergency preparedness and support for local emergency services.
What Taiwan needs is a top-down training program for civilians across the nation. One potential plan the military could pursue is to set up garrisons in each borough or district equipped with the necessary tools to properly teach civilians how to use various weapons, such as the T-91 assault rifle and hand grenades, and basic combat tactics.
Staff could be drawn from reserve units or certified former service members. Regular joint drills should be carried out between the military and this new civil defense force to improve interoperability and coordination during war.
Citizens would also undergo refresher training courses at military bases like reserve soldiers at regular intervals to ensure combat readiness. High school students could also be required to receive military training, similar to the program implemented in the 1950s.
Whatever it decides to do, Taiwan must take swift and concerted actions to prove to its security partners, particularly the US, that it is serious about defense and convince them to continue military support. With enhanced training and preparation, a robust civil defense would boost the Taiwanese will to fight.
Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there has been a growing concern among Taiwanese about how to defend against and prepare for a Chinese attack. The conflict in Ukraine has shown the value of a well-trained and equipped civil force.
Kuma Academy’s establishment in 2022 is a strong indicator that there is a desire to contribute more to the nation’s defense.
For example, UMC founder Robert Tsao announced a donation of NT$3 billion (US$100 million) in August 2022 to help the Ministry of National Defense bolster its military capabilities. He pledged an additional NT$600 million one month later to support tactical training for 3 million civilians in three years. Kuma Academy was originally chosen to provide the training.
Although these grassroots initiatives changed direction or were put on hold, the determination to defend the nation is there. The Lai administration must harness this to revamp its civil defense.
