Taiwan is Unclear About Its Defense Strategy

In January and June 2024, the Taiwan military issued multiple letters to temples and places of worship, requesting that ammunition and equipment be stored on their premises for potential military maneuvers and in the event of wartime.

Photograph proportedly shows tanks stationed inside a temple

Since 2016, under the adminstration of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Taiwan government has been promoting an “asymmetric” defense strategy, often referred to as the “porcupine strategy,” in response to increasing tensions with mainland China. This approach suggests that given Taiwan’s inability to match the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in numerical and technological terms, the defense of Taiwan should instead shift to reorganizing the Taiwan military into small, mobile units, capable of dispersing into urban and jungle environments across Taiwan, and fighting a mass insurgency against the PLA.

Additionally, the strategy involves mobilizing the entire civilian population and civil resources to prepare for a prolonged conflict. The end goal is to significantly raise the potential costs for the PLA in capturing and occupying the island, buying time for potential American intervention, if the Americans decide to even show up at all.

Taiwan Army reservists in training. In the event of a war, the reserves are expected to participate in “asymetric warfare” against the PLA.