Taipei Times
Date: Oct 18, 2017
By: Jason Pan  /  Staff reporter

Legislators and church officials on Monday lent their support to Albert Lin (林哲夫), a former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator and chairman of the Taiwan Research Association of National Peace Security, who proposed that the government focus on “soft power” and develop a civilian-based national defense system to complement the armed forces and deter China’s military threat.

The government must make plans to enhance the nation’s combat readiness and focus the military on asymmetrical warfare, Lin said.

It should also implement the urban rural mission (URM) programs of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to empower people and build up networks within local communities so that the nation could implement a strong civilian defense structure like that of Switzerland, he said.

“We are facing increased belligerence from China, which threatens to annex Taiwan, as Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is expected to consolidate his power at the Chinese Communist Party’s National Congress this week. The government and Taiwanese must think about how to make a breakthrough in the ‘status quo’ to ensure our security, and protect our freedom and democracy against China’s plan to invade our nation,” Lin said.    [FULL  STORY]