◎ Yan Ruihong
In recent years, the situation in the Taiwan Strait has been turbulent, and security issues have continued to become the focus of the international community. In addition to regularly dispatching aircraft and ships to carry out "joint combat readiness patrols" and launching gray zone harassment in the sea and air, the CCP recently launched threats to "attack Taiwan independence" on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and launched cognitive operations with disinformation. In the face of this complex strategic threat, the Chinese people must not be indifferent and must jointly build a strong national security defense line from the four dimensions of legal principles, psychological defense, national defense and national resilience.
Chinese President Xi Jinping raises a toast at the National Day reception in Beijing on September 30. In his speech, he rarely changed his Taiwan-related language from "opposing" to resolutely "fighting" Taiwan independence. (AP file photo) First, the legal level: Firmly stand on sovereignty and expose the pretense of "internal affairs." It is an objective fact that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are not affiliated with each other. The CCP's unilateral release of the so-called "Opinions on Punishing Independence" is intended to launch a legal war, create the illusion that it has jurisdiction over Taiwan, and crudely label the Taiwanese people's determination to safeguard democratic constitutionalism as "Taiwan independence" in an attempt to eliminate the Republic of China. Defending sovereignty and maintaining the democratic status quo are the foundation for cross-strait peace and stability and are by no means a bargaining chip that the CCP can smear at will.
Second, the level of psychological defense: increase alertness to enemy situations and crack the differentiation of "cognitive operations". The CCP maliciously exploits the openness of a democratic society and uses false information as a weapon in an attempt to undermine our faith in the democratic system and alienate society's trust in the government, the national military and its allies. The spread of "defeatism" and "isolation arguments" aims to erode our will to defend ourselves. Only by establishing the ability to rationally identify information can we resist erosion.
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● Prepare for war without asking for war, showing solid defense determination
Third, strategic level: implement "peace depends on strength" and demonstrate determination to defend. Concession cannot bring peace. We "prepare for war but do not seek war" and "respond to war but do not avoid war." In the face of gray zone harassment, the national military adheres to the principle of "no provocation, no show of weakness", controls dynamics through intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and continues to strengthen asymmetric combat capabilities to curb military aggression with solid strength and maintain regional stability.
● Gather internal consensus to implement whole-of-society defense
Fourth, the national level: Gather internal consensus and implement "whole-of-society defense" resilience. National security is by no means the responsibility of a single ministry or military, but an issue for all people in the country. In the face of compound threats, only by transforming the concept of enemy situation into actual defense resilience, and comprehensively linking military and civilian cooperation to the protection of key facilities, can a strong protective force be formed.
Using Taiwan independence to label our determination to safeguard the constitutional system is a common cognitive warfare tactic used by the CCP in an attempt to divide the national military and the people. In the face of a complex environment, there is no room for compromise in national security. The Chinese military will continue to strengthen its beliefs and stick to its posts, become the most trusted backing of the Chinese people, and unite to defend the national system, sovereignty and dignity.
The national army will continue to strengthen its beliefs and stick to its posts, becoming the most trusted backing of the Chinese people. The picture shows the inauguration ceremony of the M1A2T tank. The M1A2T is on the right and the CM11 Yonghu tank is on the left. (File photo) (The author is an active military member, a doctor of political science, and a cross-strait observer)
