Last month, the Ministry of National Defense announced plans to form a new reserve mobilization agency, integrating two existing military agencies — the All-out Defense Mobilization Office and the Armed Forces Reserve Command — into a new “defense reserve mobilization agency” by January next year.
During a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on April 19, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) told legislators that the proposed reforms to the military reserve system would include amending the Civilian Defense Act (民防法) to allow the military to mobilize post-disaster relief volunteer workers at Buddhist and Taoist temples, as well as churches.
The ministry’s change of strategy would transform the nation’s reserve force from a defensive footing to an offensive footing, simultaneously enhancing national security and defense.
Since Chinese Communist Party (CCP) agents are known to have infiltrated a large number of Taiwan’s temple organizations, some readers might be concerned that incorporating temple volunteer workers into the military’s reserve force would be asking for trouble.
However, the temples that have made money from the Chinese market and come under the CCP’s “united front” umbrella could be brought under the ministry’s control if their money supply was cut off by blocking access to Chinese funds. Very few temple volunteers are ideologically wedded to the CCP; they are simply trying to make ends meet.
Temples are important places of worship and scenic tourist attractions, but they are also indispensable spaces for community gatherings. The public places a great deal of trust in temples and as places of worship and tourism, they are an asset to society.
However, Beijing exploits the profit potential behind temple worship, and has for many years leveraged China’s vast market to gain a foothold in Taiwan’s temples. It is difficult for those outside the world of Taiwan’s temples to fully comprehend the motivation and thought processes that have caused some temple organizations to embrace Chinese money.
Given the situation, it is absolutely correct that the ministry, tasked with defending territorial sovereignty and upholding national security, should seek to bring temple organizations under its influence. It is a wise decision that demonstrates admirable strategic foresight.
The ministry must deliberate carefully before jumping in feet first, especially regarding the details of a mobilization plan, how to manage the system during non-mobilization, how to establish relationships with temple management committees and other key players, and how to distribute considerable subsidies to the temples, without involving their “exchanges” with Chinese organizations.
Finally, to compete with the massive size of the Chinese market, the government should consider whether it needs to proscribe Taiwan’s temples from conducting “exchanges” with Chinese organizations.
All of these points require careful consideration before the reserve system is extended to the nation’s temple volunteer groups.
Li Wen-hao is a historian, private tutor and fitness instructor.
Translated by Edward Jones
When it became clear that the world was entering a new era with a radical change in the US’ global stance in US President Donald Trump’s second term, many in Taiwan were concerned about what this meant for the nation’s defense against China. Instability and disruption are dangerous. Chaos introduces unknowns. There was a sense that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) might have a point with its tendency not to trust the US. The world order is certainly changing, but concerns about the implications for Taiwan of this disruption left many blind to how the same forces might also weaken
As the new year dawns, Taiwan faces a range of external uncertainties that could impact the safety and prosperity of its people and reverberate in its politics. Here are a few key questions that could spill over into Taiwan in the year ahead. WILL THE AI BUBBLE POP? The global AI boom supported Taiwan’s significant economic expansion in 2025. Taiwan’s economy grew over 7 percent and set records for exports, imports, and trade surplus. There is a brewing debate among investors about whether the AI boom will carry forward into 2026. Skeptics warn that AI-led global equity markets are overvalued and overleveraged
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced that she would dissolve parliament on Friday. Although the snap election on Feb. 8 might appear to be a domestic affair, it would have real implications for Taiwan and regional security. Whether the Takaichi-led coalition can advance a stronger security policy lies in not just gaining enough seats in parliament to pass legislation, but also in a public mandate to push forward reforms to upgrade the Japanese military. As one of Taiwan’s closest neighbors, a boost in Japan’s defense capabilities would serve as a strong deterrent to China in acting unilaterally in the
Taiwan last week finally reached a trade agreement with the US, reducing tariffs on Taiwanese goods to 15 percent, without stacking them on existing levies, from the 20 percent rate announced by US President Donald Trump’s administration in August last year. Taiwan also became the first country to secure most-favored-nation treatment for semiconductor and related suppliers under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act. In return, Taiwanese chipmakers, electronics manufacturing service providers and other technology companies would invest US$250 billion in the US, while the government would provide credit guarantees of up to US$250 billion to support Taiwanese firms
RSS