Chinese Drone Gets Up Close Photo of Kinmen Sentries 中國無人機擾金門 站哨士兵丟石塊驅離

A video taken by a drone and showing sentries manning a guardhouse in Kinmen recently started circulating on Weibo. The Kinmen Defense Command confirmed that a Chinese civilian-operated drone was seen on Erdan Island on Aug. 16, and added that the video had been edited for use in China's cognitive warfare.

Soldiers pick up stones from the ground and throw them into the air. Drones from China have appeared more and more frequently in recent weeks. A photo recently started circulating on Weibo that showed two sentries manning a guardhouse at a military installation in Kinmen. The two soldiers wore camouflage and were looking up. Other soldiers threw stones. The Kinmen Defense Command said a Chinese civilian-operated drone was seen on Erdan Island on Aug. 16, and soldiers were on high alert. They reported the situation, and the drone subsequently flew off.

Chang Jung-shun, Political Warfare Director, Kinmen Defense Command: “Soldiers who were resting off to the side spontaneously picked up stones and threw them. The drone then immediately flew off. This command upholds the principle of being prepared for war and not seeking war and will strengthen its vigilance so as to not escalate or trigger conflicts.”

The command said the video posted online was only 10 seconds long and showed the soldiers throwing stones. It ended with a soldier behind them aiming a weapon. The video was accompanied by text ridiculing the military's "Stone Age" tactics. The military said this is part of China's cognitive warfare.

Su Tzu-yun, Director, Div. of Defense Strategy & Resources, INDSR: “Our SOP is to fire a warning flare while sentries are vigilant and have their firearms raised for air defense. It was cut off at this point, and the people shouldn't be misled by this type of unilateral propaganda.”

The military said it upholds the principle of preparing for war while not seeking war, so it didn't shoot the drone down. Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu accused the military of dereliction of duty.

Wang Ting-yu, Legislator (DPP): “The so-called standard should be intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tactics. Are we supposed to let them fly around freely? I'm going to be harsh and say this was a dereliction of duty.”

The Ministry of National Defense issued a press release saying the military will complete installing a remote drone defense system for civilian drones in 2023, and priority will be given to the outlying islands to respond to gray zone threats.

國軍拿起手邊石頭往上丟，近來中國無人機頻繁侵擾，中國微博上面近日流傳一張金門國軍站哨的照片，清楚拍下兩名身穿迷彩服的士兵抬頭，士兵對無人機丟石頭的畫面，金防部證實16日二膽島有發現「民用」無人機侵擾，值勤官兵都有高度警覺，通報處置，隨後無人機也立即飛離。

金防部政戰主任張榮順指出：「周邊休息官兵則自發性以石頭丟擲，擾亂該架無人機隨即飛離，本部官兵秉備戰不求戰原則，更以不升高衝突，不引發爭端的態度加強戒備。」

金防部指出，微博影片只有10秒國軍丟擲石頭畫面，後面軍人持槍對準影片就截斷，畫面配上嘲諷國軍土法煉鋼，回到石器時代，試圖詆毀國軍，是認知作戰的一部份。

國防院戰略所所長蘇紫雲表示：「我們正規的發射信號彈，後續的衛哨依照防空應處原則，舉槍預備警戒這種它就截掉了，國人不要被他們這種片面的宣傳所誤導。」

國軍強調秉持備戰不求戰原則，並沒有擊落，中國無人機來去自如，也引起質疑，民進黨立委王定宇更痛批國軍這是失職。

王定宇表示：「所謂的標準應處作為，採取一切情監偵手段，就是放任它來去自如嗎？我必須說重一點的話，這是失職。」

面對批評，國防部深夜發出新聞稿表示，對於民用型無人機侵擾，國軍已完成遙控無人機防禦系統建案，預計112年獲裝後，優先配賦外島防區運用，以應對灰色地帶威脅。