TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former American Institute in Taiwan naval attache Marvin Park has urged Taiwan’s military to embrace a more decentralized combat strategy.

Taiwan’s forces remain too centralized, with frontline units required to wait for orders from top officials, delaying response times, Park said in a CNA interview.

He cited the US military’s “shoot and scoot” concept, in which soldiers are trained to understand mission parameters in advance and make decisions in combat. Park recommended Taiwan apply this to its junior officers.

As an example, he said if Chinese warships are detected, Taiwanese troops should immediately open fire, then dismantle equipment and relocate. This would maximize weapon effectiveness, prevent counterstrikes, and improve survivability.

Park added that Taiwan must also boost self-sufficiency to sustain operations under the threat of a Chinese blockade. He said the country should prioritize mass-producing drones, bullets, and artillery while building a complete supply chain to prolong its ability to fight.

Producing advanced missiles is too time-consuming and difficult, he said.

Park is now senior vice president at American Global Strategies, a geopolitical consulting firm.