Legislators Call for Stronger Civil Defense System 共機艦持續擾台 立委建議強化民防體系

The Ministry of National Defense announced that it tracked 29 Chinese military aircraft and three warships around Taiwan on Dec. 12. Some legislators are calling for a strengthening of the civil defense system in response to the tense cross-Strait situation.

The Ministry of National Defense announced that it tracked 29 Chinese military aircraft and three warships around Taiwan on Dec. 12, and 21 of the aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest airspace. Some legislators are calling for a strengthening of the civil defense system in response to the tense cross-Strait situation.

Lai Pin-yu, Legislator (DPP): “We need to have a corresponding and detailed training plan and upgrade our resource allocation so that our civil defense system will have the ability to respond if war breaks out. At the same time, we should also inform the general public about how they can help during wartime in their communities and neighborhoods, the ones they are familiar with.”

Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces are playing a key role in the war against Russia and have successfully defended Ukraine against Russian incursions. Experts say the key is how civil defense teams will protect infrastructure and maintain people's daily lives, and the current level of protection is extremely weak.

He Cheng-hui, CEO, Kuma Academy: “The infringement upon and damage to society from modern warfare is comprehensive. It's not only battles between military units, and even if it's only battles between military units, it still ends up affecting all of society.”

Su Tzu-yun, Director, Div. of Def. Strategy & Resources, INDSR: “Can the special protective regiments of these units offer light weapon training to reserves under existing laws, including the Act Governing the Use of Police Weapons? Perhaps we can give them non-lethal weapons during peacetime.”

Taiwan's defense spending as a percentage of GDP is low compared to other countries, and there is neither training time nor funding for civil defense teams. Laws will need to be amended in the future to integrate the resources and personnel of civil teams, and responsibilities will also need to be clearly defined to achieve the best effect.

中國軍機持續擾台，12日有共機29架次和共艦3艘次在台海周邊活動，其中有21架次進入我西南空域。面對台海戰爭的風險，立委建議應該強化民防體系，才能在戰爭時期發揮最大戰力。

民進黨立委賴品妤說道：「需要相應且細緻的訓練計畫跟資源配置，來提升我們的民防系統，在面對戰爭時候的反應能力。同時也應該要讓我們一般的民眾知道說，自己在戰爭時，在自己熟悉的社區鄰里，到底能夠幫上什麼樣的忙。」

在烏俄戰爭中，民防團隊發揮了巨大的作用，有效幫助烏克蘭抵抗俄羅斯的入侵。專家指出，民防團隊如何保持基礎設施的運作，維持民眾的日常生活會是重點，但目前的防護非常薄弱。

黑熊學院執行長何澄輝表示：「現代戰爭對於整個社會的侵害和易毀性是全面性的，它不單單是軍事部門之間的鬥爭，而即使是軍事部門之間的鬥爭，仍然會影響整個社會的全局。」

國防安全研究院國防戰略與資源所長蘇紫雲指出：「這些機關構的特種防護團，是不是可以在既有的法律之內，包括《警械使用條例》，至少向後備部隊施予輕兵器的訓練，在承平時期也許可以給他們非殺傷性的武器。」

專家表示，相較於其他國家，台灣的國防支出佔GDP的水平偏低，民防團隊的訓練時數和經費也嚴重缺乏。未來需要調整法規，整合民間團體的資源和人力，提出明確的任務分工，才能讓民防團隊發揮更大的效果。