The nation's military has started preparing defenses against "unrestricted warfare" strategies being developed by China, Minister of National Defense Wu Shih-wen (
Wu confirmed the plans Wed-nesday during a question-and-answer session of the defense committee of the legislature.
He did not explain, however, what kinds of "unrestricted warfare" the military is developing defensive capabilities against.
The term "unrestricted warfare" refers to new offensive means the Chinese military is developing, according to a book by the same name. The book was published two years ago by two senior Chinese air force colonels.
Unrestricted warfare encompasses a wide range of military and non-military means that a technologically inferior country like China could use to offset disadvantages against a much more advanced country like the US.
New attack modes suggested in the book as examples of unrestricted warfare include computer hacking, terrorism, attacks on financial infrastructure and manipulation of the media.
One of the attack modes that the military judges China would most likely use against Taiwan is the paralysis of Taiwan's communication networks and computer systems with electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons. EMP attacks are generally considered by the military to fall into the category of unrestricted warfare.
A defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the military has actually started simulating EMP attacks by China since the Han Kuang No. 15 exercise conducted in 1999.
Similar simulations in the following year's Han Kuang No. 16 exercise mentioned by Wu at Tuesday's session of the defense committee were follow-up efforts in the development of defenses against unrestricted warfare, especially the EMP attacks, the official said.
During the Han Kuang No. 15 exercise, the military cooperated with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and other relevant governmental agencies to simulate scenarios of EMP or terrorist attacks upon the country's communication infrastructure, airlines, as well as oil pipelines and power systems, he said.
The military also used the drill to test its first fiber-optic cable system against potential high-power energy attacks such as those from EMP weapons.
The operation of the fiber-optic system, which links the "Hengshan" strategic command in Taipei's suburban Tachih to command centers around the country, had been demonstrated in October 1999, when the military opened the Hengshan command to the press for the first time.
However, protective measures alone may not be enough to succeed in unrestricted warfare, the defense official said.
"Mere defensive measures cannot cope with the threats from unrestricted warfare. We need to develop offensive measures as well," the defense official said.
The official revealed that the military has successfully developed certain types of EMP weapons.
He declined to elaborate on the subject.
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