Wed, Jul 09, 2025 page8

• ‘Civic shield’ safeguarding Taiwan

  • By Chang Yeh-sen 張葉森
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  The documentary A Chip Odyssey (造山者-世紀的賭注) portrays the immense hardships involved in building Taiwan’s semiconductor industry into what is known as the “silicon shield.” Today, Taiwan has forged another form of shield to protect the country — the mass recall movement, driven by civic groups and volunteers. This movement embodies the core value of public accountability, sending a clear message: Resist the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), safeguard Taiwan, raise civil awareness.

  The first wave that primed Taiwan’s civic self-defense was the “Bluebird movement,” which emerged in response to a series of power-grabbing amendments pushed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) last year. Since then, the KMT has shown an insatiable appetite for control — drafting a national security strategy act to reduce the president’s authority to a mere figurehead; revising the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) to tighten regulations on signature campaigns; shelving 10 national security-related bills; improperly amending the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法); and rashly reviewing, freezing and slashing the annual budget.

  Moreover, KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) promoted these controversial initiatives after leading a delegation to China, reinforcing perceptions of the KMT as undermining Taiwanese sovereignty. The collective consciousness “Resist the CCP, safeguard Taiwan, raise civil awareness” has spread like wildfire, amplifying civic awareness and strengthening the public’s sense of self-defense. These developments have driven the mass recall movement, which targets at least 24 KMT lawmakers in the third stage of the mass recall vote.

  This wave of civic self-defense among Taiwanese civil groups is embodied in the recall movement. Not only does the recall hold individual lawmakers accountable, but it also symbolizes the rise of civic awareness. First, the recall movement serves as a defense of Taiwan’s constitutional system and national security, demonstrating the nation’s commitment to democracy amid mounting economic and social challenges. Second, the movement reinforces the collective consensus around “Resist the CCP, safeguard Taiwan, raise civil awareness.” Taiwanese are making a firm stand of resistance in the face of escalating economic and military pressure from China. Third, the movement has accelerated political participation among the younger generation and strengthened networks of civil groups and online platforms, transforming grassroots power as a force for political change. This forms a dynamic chain that resembles Taiwan’s semiconductor supply chain, with each part pulsing, passing and perpetuating the power to the next.

  On the international stage, China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy and geopolitical expansionism have heightened global awareness. Taiwan, as a key provider in the global semiconductor supply chain, enjoys a growing international consensus that the world cannot afford to see it fall under China’s control. Alliances among the US, Japan, Australia and other partners have formed what some now describe as a “new Eight-Nation Alliance” — to repurpose the name originally given to the Western powers that plagued the Qing Dynasty in its final years — to support Taiwan and to ensure the safety of the Taiwan Strait. This alliance consists of lawmakers across democratic countries, united in their criticism of China as a regime ruled by the CCP and in their shared commitment to resisting authoritarian expansion.

  As tensions rise, Taiwan has become a vital pillar of global security. However, the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party have taken several controversial actions that could be seen as destabilizing, undermining the confidence of international allies in Taiwan. The mass recall movement has demonstrated to the world that Taiwan’s civil society has the resilience to self-correct within a democracy, safeguarding national security and governance efficacy, under the idea of “Resist the CCP, safeguard Taiwan, raise civil awareness.”

  The mass recall movement is not only a reckoning for unscrupulous lawmakers, but also a powerful statement from Taiwan’s civil society. This is a new chapter in Taiwan’s democratic odyssey, where civic power is forged to build a resilient democratic foundation. The mass recall movement and Taiwan’s world-leading semiconductor industry can be seen as titans of the nation’s future. While semiconductors serve as the economic lifeblood of the nation, civic awareness rises as a guard for the democratic soul, together reshaping the destiny of Taiwan.

  Chang Yeh-sen is a doctor and the chairman of the Taiwan Society.

  Translated by Lai Wen-chieh
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