The Ministry of National Defense’s proposed amendments to the General Mobilization Act (全民防衛動員準備法) has drawn heavy criticism from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
One of the major controversies is centered around the oversight of media: The amendments include clauses stipulating that local governments, as well as news and media organizations, must abide by central government controls on all information networks during wartime.
The ministry has also asked the Ministry of Education to provide the All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency with a list of all students aged 16 and older, so the agency would know how many people it could mobilize if war were to break out.
However, pro-KMT media and party members branded the revision a draft “digital intermediary service act (數位中介服務法) 2.0,” a “crackdown on freedom of speech” and a potential precursor to the “return to martial law.”
Parents expressed concern that 16-year-olds would be mobilized to manufacture ammunition or even forced to fight, while KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said that his party would not let the “malevolent” bill clear the legislative floor.
As cross-strait tensions continue to rise, the amendment can be seen as Taiwan heeding a lesson from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and taking steps to boost its asymmetric warfare capabilities.
The KMT is misrepresenting the draft as a government effort to influence the media and send teenage boys to war.
As Article 2 of the act already stipulates, the clauses in question would only be implemented in “the time period of assembling reserve forces for active duty in times of war, or the coming of national emergency, the president may promulgate emergency decrees in accordance with the Constitution to enforce overall or partial mobilization.”
This means that the clause would only come to effect during wartime, and only when the president gave the order. Freedom of the press is otherwise protected by the Constitution.
The Russo-Ukraine war has shown why media should be controlled during wartime. Fabricated videos showing Ukrainian forces surrendering circulated online, while Russian military equipment was bombed after news photographs exposed their locations. Media should only be allowed “relative freedom,” as opposed to “absolute freedom,” during war to avoid mistakes or deter collusion with enemy forces.
The Civil Defense Act (民防法) stipulates that high schools must compile name lists and organize civil defense regiments to assist with tasks such as caring for the wounded and firefighting. The amendment only reinforces the existing law and facilitates necessary training during peacetime.
Without related knowledge or expertise, it is impossible for anyone to manufacture ammunition, let alone 16-year-olds.
As the saying goes, “if you want peace, prepare for war.” It is crucial that Taiwan makes necessary preparations to defend against China’s growing aggression. As a party with a history of implementing 38 years of martial law, the KMT has no right to lecture on freedom of speech or mobilization of students. Distorting the proposal spreads fear among the public and makes it easier for China to invade. It is up to the public to defend the nation, and if a war does break out, even 16-year-olds cannot be shielded from an attack.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) were born under the sign of Gemini. Geminis are known for their intelligence, creativity, adaptability and flexibility. It is unlikely, then, that the trade conflict between the US and China would escalate into a catastrophic collision. It is more probable that both sides would seek a way to de-escalate, paving the way for a Trump-Xi summit that allows the global economy some breathing room. Practically speaking, China and the US have vulnerabilities, and a prolonged trade war would be damaging for both. In the US, the electoral system means that public opinion
In their recent op-ed “Trump Should Rein In Taiwan” in Foreign Policy magazine, Christopher Chivvis and Stephen Wertheim argued that the US should pressure President William Lai (賴清德) to “tone it down” to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait — as if Taiwan’s words are more of a threat to peace than Beijing’s actions. It is an old argument dressed up in new concern: that Washington must rein in Taipei to avoid war. However, this narrative gets it backward. Taiwan is not the problem; China is. Calls for a so-called “grand bargain” with Beijing — where the US pressures Taiwan into concessions
The term “assassin’s mace” originates from Chinese folklore, describing a concealed weapon used by a weaker hero to defeat a stronger adversary with an unexpected strike. In more general military parlance, the concept refers to an asymmetric capability that targets a critical vulnerability of an adversary. China has found its modern equivalent of the assassin’s mace with its high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) weapons, which are nuclear warheads detonated at a high altitude, emitting intense electromagnetic radiation capable of disabling and destroying electronics. An assassin’s mace weapon possesses two essential characteristics: strategic surprise and the ability to neutralize a core dependency.
Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) said in a politburo speech late last month that his party must protect the “bottom line” to prevent systemic threats. The tone of his address was grave, revealing deep anxieties about China’s current state of affairs. Essentially, what he worries most about is systemic threats to China’s normal development as a country. The US-China trade war has turned white hot: China’s export orders have plummeted, Chinese firms and enterprises are shutting up shop, and local debt risks are mounting daily, causing China’s economy to flag externally and hemorrhage internally. China’s
RSS