Republic of China (Taiwan), National Defense Report, 2011

 

 

In recent years, cross-Strait relations have gradually relaxed as a result of the government’s endeavors. Contact and exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have greatly reduced the possibility of armed conflict. We believe this is a development that countries in the Asia-Pacific area and all citizens are pleased to see. Although cross-Strait relations are no longer as tense as in the past, facing the PRC’s military development, the ROC Armed Forces will not and cannot rely on the PRC’s good intentions for peace; strengthening defense capabilities is the fundamental way to ensuring peace in the Taiwan Strait. This year’s national defense report describes how the ROC Armed Forces has actively responded to changes in the strategic environment, and is building a “small but superb, small but strong and small but smart” defense force via innovations in organizational system, force structure, project workflow, talent cultivation, resource allocation and capabilities development.

 

The ROC Armed Forces serves as a defender of national security and the people’s welfare, and a guardian of constitutional democracy. It resolutely holds the belief to “fight for the survival and development of the ROC, and fight for the safety and welfare of people in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matzu.” It clearly understands that “there is a clear and definite line between the ROC Armed Forces and PLA,” and takes suitable actions to ensure national security. The significant growth of the PRC’s comprehensive national strength has become an unavoidable issue that the ROC must face and respond to. Even today the PRC has not renounced the use of military force against Taiwan, and over one thousand missiles are still deployed along the coast opposite Taiwan. Furthermore, the PRC has resorted to every conceivable means to collect intelligence on the ROC Armed Forces, and as cross-strait exchanges are becoming more and more frequent, Taiwan must confront the threat of the PRC. “Peace must be backed by strength.” Therefore, the Ministry of National Defense has not for a single moment relaxed its endeavors in force buildup and defense readiness. Force buildup continues to be guided by the military strategic concept of “resolute defense and credible deterrence,” emphasizing the enhancement of the ROC Armed Forces’ joint operation capabilities, and aiming to achieve war prevention and deterrence. Defense readiness is based on the principles of “smart and steadfast, and strict and arduous”; important exercises and training missions, such as the Han Kuang Exercise, are utilized to pragmatically review the Armed Forces’ training results, thereby enhancing the Armed Forces’ overall capabilities.

 

In addition to its duty to ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait, the ROC Armed Forces is also actively strengthening its disaster prevention and relief capabilities. It has become a global consensus that unconventional security issues are a threat to people’s lives and properties no less than conventional security issues, such as military conflicts. Among unconventional security issues, severe climate change is the most threatening to people’s survival and safety. Facing growingly frequent extreme weather disasters, countries around the world must even more sternly face the loss of lives and properties caused by natural disasters.

 

Facing the current strategic environment and security situation, the ROC Armed Forces is actively engaged in force buildup, hoping to become a powerful force that can “carry out disaster relief during peacetime and engage in combat during wartime.” This book uses “A New Epoch of National Defense” as its axis, and consists of four parts – “Strategic Environment,” “National Defense Transformation,” “National Defense Capabilities” and “Bringing Peace and Stability to the Country,” with a total of nine chapters. Each part is

summarized below:

 

This part summarizes developments of the global strategic environment, as well as possible trends of future security situations. Then, it analyzes the threat of the PRC’s military development, and describes how the ROC responds to changes in the current strategic environment.

 

This part uses current defense policy and defense strategic objectives to explain the two focuses of “national defense transformation” – implementation status of “voluntarism” and organizational restructuring plans of the “Jingtsui Program.”

 

This part explains results of the ROC Armed Forces’ efforts to enhance “intangible combat capabilities,” “joint operations effectiveness,” “information and electronic warfare capabilities” and “logistic support” in recent years, and how “human,” “financial” and “material” resources are utilized. Furthermore, this part also describes the promotion of all-out defense concepts and how all citizens and national resources are an integral part of national defense capabilities.

 

This part elaborates on the ROC Armed Forces’ efforts in disaster prevention and relief in terms of laws, equipment and training, and also describes missions executed in the past two years and how the Armed Forces will further strengthen its capabilities to safeguard people’s lives and properties. Furthermore, this part describes services provided by the ROC Armed Forces to citizens, servicemen and their dependents, so that the Armed Forces gains support from the people and builds up esprit de corps.

 

The ROC Armed Forces safeguards the survival and development of the ROC, and is an elite force that has “restored Taiwan,” “defended Taiwan,” “constructed Taiwan” and “safeguarded Taiwan.” The “2011 National Defense Report” not only expounds the global security situation and analyzes the threat of the PRC’s military development to Taiwan, but also reveals pragmatic, new concepts of force buildup of the ROC Armed Forces, and explains current defense policy and development visions, hoping to help citizens gain a clear understanding that will build the consensus that military and civilian are one. This will support the ROC Armed Forces in building a “Hard ROC” defense force that will make the enemy not dare to, become unwilling to and unable to invade Taiwan, thus protecting the country and contributing to regional peace and stability at the same time.

 

To read the full report, please download the PDF below.