Taipei: Deputy Interior Minister Ma Shih-yuan said Saturday that China is using what he described as "dislocation warfare" and "erosion warfare" to undermine the foundations of Taiwan's democracy and freedom. Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Taiwan Civil Defense Convention hosted by Kuma Academy, Ma emphasized China's deployment of these new strategies to disrupt Taiwan's democratic system beyond traditional methods like public opinion, psychological, and legal warfare.
According to Focus Taiwan, Ma explained that "dislocation warfare" involves efforts to distort the proper functioning of democratic institutions. Meanwhile, "erosion warfare" sees China using proxies to gradually undermine Taiwan's democratic and free systems, presenting a challenge that requires vigilance. Ma noted the difficulty in countering these efforts due to the risk of being accused of "McCarthyism" or creating internal enemies.
To address China's hybrid coercion, Ma highlighted the Ministry of the Interior's recent emphasis on "interoperability," marking a shift from traditional defense approaches. Historically, Taiwan's military, police, firefighting, and civil defense systems operated independently with limited coordination. However, global developments since 2022 have underscored the importance of interoperability in promoting civil defense.
Ma reiterated the government's commitment to safeguarding Taiwan's democratic system, ensuring the continued freedom and development of its economy, political system, and religious freedoms under the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party, which he described as having "fascist" characteristics.
Meanwhile, Kuma Civil Defense Education Association Chairperson Liu Wen shared that the academy is transitioning its focus from individual-based, decentralized training to engaging groups and institutions. This shift aims to integrate expertise from the public sector, civil society, and various professional fields into a resilient, nationwide civil defense network.
The two-day event, which commenced Saturday morning, also saw attendance from Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Deputy Foreign Minister Fran§ois Wu, and National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lii Wen.