Taiwan’s military shelves controversial proposal amid criticism it would reinstate secret police of ‘White Terror’ era

Proposed amendment, now on hold, would expand government control over civilians, speech and supplies during wartime

Critics say it could hand ruling DPP power to sway media and silence dissent, much like ‘KMT Gestapo’ of martial law period

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The proposed amendment has sparked fears among Taiwanese parents that their teenagers might be sent to war. Photo: AP

Published: 8:00pm, 20 Mar 2023

Taiwan’s military has agreed to temporarily put on hold its proposed amendments to a wartime law following criticism that the revision would reinstate the draconian secret police set up to silence dissent in the “White Terror” era.

“There is no timetable for the amendments,” Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said, referring to the All-out Defence Mobilisation Readiness Act, which would give the military the power to mobilise not only its active soldiers and reservists but also civilians to prepare for war with mainland China.

Beijing, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory and does not renounce the use of force to take it under control, has intensified its military operations around the self-ruled island in recent months. US and Taiwanese experts have warned the moves could be a prelude to cross-strait conflict.

As tensions have mounted in the Taiwan Strait, the island’s military hopes to revise the act to fully address a potential wartime situation.

Under the proposed amendments, all media organisations, online platforms, information networks and television broadcasters would be required to cooperate with government controls during the mobilisation period.

Offenders who spread misinformation or rumours endangering society and the public could face three years in prison or a NT$1 million (US$32,500) fine. Penalties for media outlets would be even higher.

Education authorities would also be required to compile a list of all students in Taiwan aged 16 and above and provide the information to the All-Out Defence Mobilisation Agency to help it tabulate the exact number of people it could mobilise to help in wartime.

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Taiwan’s military shelves controversial proposal amid criticism it would reinstate secret police of ‘White Terror’ era

Proposed amendment, now on hold, would expand government control over civilians, speech and supplies during wartime Critics say it could hand ruling DPP power to sway media and silence dissent, much like ‘KMT Gestapo’ of martial law period

Proposed amendment, now on hold, would expand government control over civilians, speech and supplies during wartime

Critics say it could hand ruling DPP power to sway media and silence dissent, much like ‘KMT Gestapo’ of martial law period