Taiwan must take action and step up preparedness in the face of two major challenges posed by extreme climate disasters and authoritarian systems, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, capping a week of defense events.
In his opening address for the Resilient Taiwan for Sustainable Democracy International Forum in Taipei, Lai said the nation and other countries worldwide are facing two major challenges — “extreme climate-related disasters” and “the expansionary ambitions of authoritarian regimes.”
Extreme climate-related disasters are testing countries’ basic infrastructure, and impacting food security and infectious disease control, putting massive pressure on economies and public health systems, he said.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
Authoritarian regimes led by China are building an alliance to infiltrate and undermine democratic societies, he added.
“Through military provocations and hybrid war tactics, they attempt to shake our confidence, sow division in our societies, challenge the international community’s bottom line, and gradually alter the ‘status quo’ in the region and the international order,” Lai said. “We have no time to lose. We must take action and step up our preparedness.”
The Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee was established last year for this purpose, and its work involves five aspects: civilian force training, material distribution, energy security, medical care and shelter preparation, and cyber and financial security, he said.
Since establishing the committee, Taiwan has taken concrete actions to bolster those areas, from tabletop exercises to on-site drills, Lai said, adding that this year’s Han Kuang military exercises were held concurrently with the Urban Resilience Exercises, integrating disaster prevention with national defense.
“Peace cannot be left up to hope for good faith by the aggressors,” he said. “To avoid war and defend peace, we must build defense capabilities and societal resilience through continued preparedness.”
Aside from the central and local governments, many private enterprises, volunteer organizations, religious groups and civil defense non-governmental organizations have launched their own resilience and preparedness initiatives, he added.
While authoritarian states are preparing for military expansion and converging to challenge the international order, Taiwan’s preparations aim to preserve the “status quo” of peace, and the sustainability of freedom and democracy, Lai said.
Taiwan’s defense budget for next year is to reach 3.32 percent of GDP and aims to reach 5 percent by 2030, he said, adding that a NT$150 billion (US$4.96 billion) budget has been allocated for resilience in homeland security.
Many European countries are also raising their defense budgets, and making national and civil defense preparations, Lai said.
He also talked about the government’s new civil defense handbook, which was launched on Tuesday as part of efforts to prepare people for a possible Chinese attack, saying it contains vital information on how to stay safe.
“More importantly, we tell everyone: ‘In the event of a military invasion of Taiwan, any claim that the government has surrendered or that the nation has been defeated is false,’” Lai said, adding that Taiwanese are determined to defend freedom, democracy and a sustainable Taiwan.
At this challenging time, the most important thing is the cooperation among like-minded countries, he said.
Lai thanked the members of the international team who are to observe or participate in the joint exercises this weekend, and the experts and academics who participated in yesterday’s forum.
“Freedom and democracy did not come by chance, but through the sacrifice and struggle of countless Taiwanese people,” he said in his concluding remarks. “We will never bow to aggression, and that we will stand tall and defend our hard-earned way of life.”
Speaking at the forum, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Acting Director Karin M. Lang said Taiwan has demonstrated its strong determination, and seen concrete results in bolstering whole-of-society defense and societal resilience over the past few years.
The nation’s on-site drills, institution building and information security have been impressive, Lang said.
The US would continue to deepen cooperation with Taiwan in building resilience in information security, energy, communications, public health and in other fields, she said.
Resilience building is a never-ending road, and more resources, expertise and civil participation would be needed, she added.
Regarding international cooperation, Lang suggested that Taiwan continue expanding partnerships, especially with countries that specialize in certain fields, and significantly increase its capabilities and confidence through sharing experiences and skills.
Taiwan’s is heading toward the correct direction, and its achievements are commendable, but there are still lots of work to be done, she said.
The US has full confidence in Taiwan’s efforts and would continue to be its most steadfast partner, pushing forward toward the goal of “whole-of-society resilience,” she added.
Meanwhile, European Economic and Trade Office head Lutz Gullner during a keynote discussion said that public communication was “key” in government efforts to promote societal preparedness and resilience against a range of hazards.
“It cannot be just a top-down communication. It needs to become a societal imperative that is really taken on by each and every individual,” said Gullner, whose office represents Brussels’ interests in Taiwan in the absence of formal relations.
“This cannot be [done] by fear. This needs to be a sense of belonging, of duty,” he said.
Whole-of-society resilience efforts must take an “inclusive” approach, he added.
UK Representative to Taiwan Ruth Bradley-Jones emphasized the importance of “strategic communications” in maintaining public trust, credibility and control of the narrative during emergencies.
Bradley-Jones urged the nation to improve its ability to shift from “normal-time civilian structures into crisis-response hybrid structures.”
Additional reporting by Fan Wei-li, CNA and Reuters
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