The Ministry of National Defense yesterday outlined plans to build a more “agile and resilient” military with a new focus on multidomain strategies to deter and block enemy forces.
The new National Defense Report’s emphasis on multidomain denial — a defense approach rooted in attrition and asymmetric warfare — and on strengthening the resilience of the military and society sets it apart from previous editions, Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑), an associate professor at Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, said in a prerecorded video.
Lin, one of the 11 experts who helped compile the report, which is released once every two years, cited this year’s Han Kuang military exercises, which included operations simulating the operations of medical and rationing stations, as an example of “whole-of-society resilience.”
Photo: CNA
Colonel Hsu Chih-hung (許志宏) of the Department of Strategic Planning told a news conference that the multidomain denial focus aims to build a multilayered defense against a range of threats.
Guided by the principles of being “maneuverable, agile, lethal, cost-effective and concealed,” and driven by mission requirements, the military seeks to build a mission-oriented defensive system that spans land, sea, air, space and cyberspace, Hsu said.
Although the report dedicates a section to China’s military threats, some crucial developments — such as the unveiling of new weapons systems at China’s Sept. 3 military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and the Shandong and Liaoning aircraft carriers passing through waters east of Taiwan in June and crossing the second island chain — were notably absent.
Department official Hsu Yun-chen (許云甄) said that noteworthy developments in the Chinese military would be included in a separate report on China’s military power, which is to be published at a later date.
China is increasing military activities near Taiwan and honing its ability to stage a surprise attack, as well as seeking to undermine trust in the government with “hybrid” online warfare tactics, the report said.
“The Chinese communists have adopted routine gray zone harassment tactics, combined with joint combat readiness patrols, targeted military exercises and cognitive warfare, posing a comprehensive threat,” it said.
The China Coast Guard is expanding its activities around Taiwan and might take “aggressive containment measures” in concert with the military while rehearsing attack scenarios, it said.
Beijing is also using “hybrid warfare” to weaken trust in the government and support for defense spending, while using artificial intelligence tools to weaken Taiwan’s cybersecurity and to scan for vulnerable points in critical infrastructure, it added.
The report also touched on Chinese drone incursions, saying that the ministry is training soldiers to shoot down drones and seeking to procure new anti-drone weapons systems.
Ministry spokesman Major General Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said the military is continuing efforts to identify and use effective anti-drone systems in response to China.
“Basically drone developments and anti-drone developments are very fast, and based on today’s situation, there is different progress every day,” he said. “This is one of our key points in our military preparedness efforts.”
Taiwan’s anti-drone efforts are a top priority, and soldiers in the outlying islands are also practicing night shooting as part of the training, the ministry said.
The ministry said it is working on an English-language version of the report, which would be available on its Web site.
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