A "Taiwan dome alliance" would be set up to help implement a civilian defense system, civil groups including the Taiwan Society North told a news conference in Taipei yesterday.
Taiwan Society North president Lo Chun-hsuan (羅浚晅) said that more than 50 pro-Taiwan organizations would form the alliance and give full backing to a government plan to invest more in defense-related industries.
President William Lai (賴清德) outlined the proposed defense spending bill on Wednesday.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Lai previously announced plans for a “Taiwan dome” missile defense system. The plan is for a multi-layered defense system with high-level detection and effective interception to protect the nation from potential attack.
Beijing has instigated an onslaught of propaganda to turn democratic Taiwan into “China’s Taiwan,” while some people in Taiwan are promoting Beijing’s agenda, touting the “one country, two systems” and “peaceful unification” models, Lo said.
“It is not mere political rhetoric, but would destroy Taiwan’s democracy from within,” he said. “We must deal with such comments in accordance with the law, punishing those who collude with foreign forces to dismantle our country.”
The nation needs the Taiwan dome, and Taiwanese must learn about history and be discerning of media, Union of Taiwanese Teachers vice president Pan Wei-you (潘威佑) said.
“It is vital that young people understand that it was not easy for Taiwan to gain its freedom and democracy,” Pan said.
National security expert Chen Wen-chia (陳文甲) said Lai’s plan to defend democracy would turn a strategic concept into action items, eliminating the “passive defense” mode.
Lai’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.8 billion) special defense budget bill to develop Taiwan’s capabilities in asymmetrical warfare and artificial intelligence-enhanced defense systems symbolizes the start of a new era of “defense of democracy combined with applied high-technology to safeguard Taiwan,” Chen said.
After the news conference, Lo led a march to the Mainland Affairs Council to demand punitive action against Chien Li (錢麗), a Chinese living in Taiwan who has publicly urged Beijing to forcefully unify with Taiwan.
“We must not have people colluding with the enemy state and calling for the destruction of Taiwan,” Lo said.
“The government must apply national security laws governing residency requirements for Chinese and not allow them to stay if they create societal strife,” he said.
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