National Security Strategy 2011

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Democratic Progressive Party

National Security StrategyAugust 2011

I. Trends and challenges

The current trend in globalization will continue to develop for the next two generations.

Under this trend, a visible world with traditional state boundaries will co-exist with an

invisible societal network connected by mega-cities through information, capital, trade,

technology, services, and migration. This in turn will strengthen the political, economic,

social, and cultural connections between states, and deepen mutual dependence. At the

same time, globalization will produce far more complex transnational and non-traditional

security challenges, such as wealth disparity, climate change, energy shortages, economiccrises, and terrorism. These challenges will impact in an unprecedented way the form and

governance of traditional states.

Under the broader trend of globalization, shifts in the axis of the worlds rapid economic

growth and the changing flow of economic strength will promote the rise of emerging

powers, most notably, China, India and Russia, impacting the worlds geopolitical and

strategic conditions. Even though it continues to be the worlds only superpower, the

United States uni-polar dominance has eroded. An unbalanced, multi-polar international

system is taking shape, with emerging and traditional powers seeking their own

individual polarity where each has a role in determining world order alongside the United

States. From a historical perspective, it is not yet clear how each emerging power can

manage to form a new, more complex international system with existing powers. In the

coming years, the rise of China will be a key factor in this dynamic.

In East Asia, the US-Japan security alliance has been one of the cornerstones of security,

but Chinas rise impacts this system, thus affecting the new regional security order. Such

strategic developments and changes represent a reality that must be faced as Taiwan

strives to maintain its national security goals of prosperous development, democratic

freedom, and secure survival.

Due to historical factors, the two sides across the Strait have been in a long stalemate.

Despite increasing exchanges over the past thirty years, the stalemate remains although in

a more hidden form. At the core of the stalemate lies the dispute over sovereignty, and

furthermore, the two sides continue to hold considerable differences in values,

perspectives, and governing systems. Thirty years of interaction have complicated the

situation across the Strait. The close involvement of economic engagement is

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unprecedented. Yet at the same time, their separate values, perspectives, and systems

have not merged, and to some extent, even diverged.

Furthermore, with three decades of reform, China has risen with the ability to project

power on a global level, but some indications show that China is entering a development

stage where uncertainty exists in its political, economic, social, and cultural prospects.Political reform remains far away, economic development has moved in a direction of

state capitalism, social divisions and conflicts are deepening, yet all while the ghosts of

Maoism continue to hover over Chinese skies. Thus the international community is

generally concerned about whether China, as it rises, will act as a responsible

stakeholder in the new international system and play a role as a constructive global

power, or try to achieve a China rise in the style of a great national revival that is

inspired by an expansionist nationalism. Chinas choice is relevant to global

development, to regional peace and prosperity, and of course to Taiwans national

security and development.

Since Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008, his administration has ignored the complexities

of the overall development of Chinese society. It has also neglected to preserve Taiwans

subjectivity while interacting with other countries in a globalized world. Taiwans

sovereignty has been degraded as the Ma government simplistically views China as the

only path to rely upon for Taiwans security and development. It has gradually

marginalized Taiwans security and development by making Taiwan a dependent

variable in Chinas uncertain development.

Since the days of world maritime navigation, Taiwan has been a part in globalization, and

experience shows that Taiwans survival and prosperity are dependent on our ability tofully understand the broader historical environment and become part of it while making

good use of our circumstances. At the moment, we, Taiwan, are situated in the middle of

a continuously developing globalization trend, in addition to facing China and an

evolving international system. In this evolution, China is not only a key determinant but

also the most unpredictable factor, where the intentions and prospects of its rise are

opaque and uncertain. For Taiwan, China is a possible opportunity for development, yet

at the same time it carries an unfriendly attitude toward Taiwans sovereignty. All these

conditions create the major challenges for Taiwans national security and development.

As a member of the global community, as Taiwan faces the opportunities and challenges

brought upon by the development of globalization and the rise of China, Taiwan must

responsibly look at the changes in the broader environment, and respond to these changes

with new strategic thinking. Only then can Taiwan face up to challenges, maintain

security and the dignity of its values while developing prosperity and contributing to

peaceful development. As a party founded in this land, the Democratic Progressive Party

is bound by this duty.

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II. Core principles

Taiwan is a maritime country. Interconnectedness and openness to the outside world arekey to the prosperity and development of Taiwan. In order to adapt to changes in the

strategic environment resulting from the new wave of globalization, as well as to

guarantee Taiwans safety, survival, prosperity and development, while protecting its

values and dignity, the Democratic Progressive Partys National Security Strategy

contains the following principles:

1. Universal values of justice: Taiwan is a young democracy. The pursuit of the values

of democracy, freedom, human rights and green development has been the principal

driving force behind Taiwans democratization process. The Democratic Progressive

Party believes that when it concerns foreign and security affairs, Taiwan should continueto uphold these principles of justice as the basis for international cooperation and

exchange. Therefore, Taiwan has the right to participate fairly in international affairs and

the sharing of resources, but it also has the duty to actively partake in and contribute to

international cooperative efforts, and to do its best to fulfill its responsibilities as a

member of the international community.

2. Balanced external relations: Taiwans development has always taken place through

interactions with the whole world via unobstructed sea-lanes. The Democratic

Progressive Party believes that in the era of globalization, Taiwans external relations

should be conducted within global and regional frameworks that include the completepicture, developing a balanced global strategy, consolidating direct links to the globally

networked society, actively partaking in global and regional security affairs, expanding

regional collaboration, and building Taiwans political, economic, social, cultural and

military and security networks.

3. A strategic approach of mutual interest: Close economic, social and cultural

exchanges are already taking place between Taiwan and China. However, due to

historical reasons, there still exists an unstable situation of strategic stalemate. This is not

only detrimental to either partys strategic interest in development, it is also a cause for

concern about peace in East Asia. The Democratic Progressive Party believes that inorder to safeguard peace and stability in the region, the two sides must seek to change the

situation of strategic stalemate by going beyond historical constraints and using a

strategic approach that allows for mutual benefit, in a way that is peaceful yet different

and peaceful while seeking commonality.

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4. Democratic consensus in society: Taiwan is a young, multi-ethnic and immigrant

society with diverging opinions about national identity and a volatile social consensus.

The Democratic Progressive Party believes that in order to build democratic public

consensus and to strengthen a social and national identity that centers around modern

citizenship, any foreign or security policy that concerns Taiwans core interests, including

decisions about Taiwans future, changes in the current status of independence, as well asthe formulation and implementation of important foreign policies, should be decided

upon in accordance with the principles and procedures of democracy.

5. A secure defense mechanism: In addition to the Chinese military threat and Chinas

Three Wars approach (the legal, psychological, and public opinion wars), Taiwan also

faces threats to its territory and environment, as well possible epidemics, destructive

terrorist attacks and other non-traditional security threats. The Democratic Progressive

Party believes that in response to both these new and these traditional security threats, we

must strengthen the awareness of security issues among the people, build vigilance, and

prepare a security and defense mechanism that can respond to military threats and crises,thereby ensuring Taiwans national security and the security of its peoples property.

III. Policy positions

1. Uphold universal values of fairness and justice to serve as a shared basis for

international engagement: The biggest difference between Taiwan and Communist

China lies in Taiwans pursuit of values such as freedom, democracy, and human rights.

The Democratic Progressive Party advocates that Taiwan must conduct its exchangeswith the international community, share its democratic experience, pursue progressive

values, and create common strategic interests based on this moral foundation. On

numerous transnational issues such as energy resource shortage, climate change,

environmental pollution, poverty, epidemic prevention and terrorism, Taiwan as a

member of the global village, albeit not a formal member of the relevant international

organizations, should contribute and fulfill its international duties to the best of its ability

in order to advance international harmony and promote the well being of humanity.

2. Reinforce the strategic partnership with the United States: The United States has

occupied a decisive position in Taiwanese security affairs for a long time. A long-termand friendly relationship of strategic cooperation exists between the two countries. The

Democratic Progressive Party believes that for the future, Taiwan must proceed to

strengthen this strategic partnership, rebuild and deepen strategic mutual trust and

strategic consensus, effectively coordinate Taiwan-U.S. interests in every respect,

strengthen the institutional arrangements for Taiwan-U.S. engagement on security

matters, and increase the depth and breadth of trade, social, and cultural cooperation.

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3. Strengthen cooperation with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and protect

regional peace: Because of geo-strategic and historical reasons, Taiwan has had close

relations with Japan. South Korea, ASEAN, India and other countries in the Asia-Pacific

region are currently facing the common challenge of a rising China. The Democratic

Progressive Party believes that Taiwan should continue to deepen its ties with Japan, aswell as actively intensify cooperation and dialogue with other countries in the Asia-

Pacific region, project soft power, enhance existing ties, strengthen trade and investment

links, promote public diplomacy, advance closer exchange and cooperation between

NGOs and other private entities, build closer political, economic, social, cultural and

security relations, strengthen cooperation on regional affairs, and jointly safeguard

security and peace in the region.

4. Build a stable mechanism through a strategic approach of mutual interest: The

core of the problem in the cross-strait strategic stalemate concerns conflicts over

sovereignty. We acknowledge that Beijing insists on its One-China Principle position.However, Beijing must also understand the reality that the Taiwanese people, having

gone through the historical processes of freeing themselves from foreign rule and seeking

democratization, are opposed to a one-party system and committed to upholding the

independence of their sovereignty. The Democratic Progressive Party believes that

Taiwan and China must reach an understanding that is based on reality and the fact that

the two sides are different, yet at the same time express a shared desire for seeking

commonality and strategic mutual interests, all with the goal of developing a stable

mechanism that would benefit the pursuit of peaceful development on both sides.

5. Construct a framework for peaceful and stable interaction between Taiwan andChina: The process of seeking strategic mutual interest between Taiwan and China must

take place through exchange, dialogue, the settlement of differences, and conflict

management. The Democratic Progressive Party believes that both sides, under the

principles of equality and reciprocity, should engage in multilevel dialogue to exchange

views on multilevel and multifaceted topics, and establish mechanisms for solving

relevant issues. Through such mechanisms, and by gradually building a multilevel and

multifaceted "cross-strait framework for peaceful and stable interaction" for dealing with

issues, we seek to sustain a stable and constructive bilateral relationship.

6. Promote balanced China-Taiwan trade relations within the global trade picture:

Ever since maritime navigation has taken off, Taiwans international trade activities have

been balanced and outward-oriented. The Democratic Progressive Party believes that

with the present trends in globalization, Taiwan should adopt a balanced approach toward

its economic and trade strategy with cross-strait trading activities being an important part

of its global outreach. Particularly at a time when Chinas economic development is

moving more and more towards a special type of state capitalism centered around

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powerful elites, Taiwan should conduct its dealings with China in concert with the rest of

the world in order to respond to this special Chinese form of development.

7. Promote diverse diplomacy through soft power; obtain the support of the

international community: Taiwan is a country that successfully transitioned from an

authoritarian developing state to a developed young democracy, and one which hasgathered considerable experience in terms of economy, values, culture, and technology.

The Democratic Progressive Party believes that Taiwan should value this kind of soft

power, as well as put the power of civil society to use, promote diverse diplomacy, and

tell the international community the success-story of how 23 million Taiwanese people

pursued democracy, freedom and justice under unfavorable circumstances at home and

abroad. Taiwan should also strive to obtain the support of the international community,

actively participate in international humanitarian relief efforts and contribute to finding a

solution for transnational issues such as climate change, environmental pollution,

poverty, and the prevention of epidemics.

8. Advance multifaceted social and cultural exchanges between Chinese and

Taiwanese civil society: The robustness of Taiwanese civil society is an important

foundation for Taiwans successful democratization. Over the past few years, there have

been indications that Chinas civil society has been slowly and painfully growing, and

that it may turn into an important factor for Chinas developing in a more positive

direction. The Democratic Progressive Party believes that in light of the experience in

Taiwan that civil society has played a positive role in its historical development, Taiwan

should be concerned with the development of civil society in China, and promote

multilevel and multifaceted social and cultural exchanges and dialogue between the civil

societies of both sides.

9. Demonstrate the commitment for self-defense, and strengthen the military to

protect Taiwan: Peaceful development and reconciliation may be the current

mainstream talking points. However, we cannot depend solely on the other sides

benevolence for peace. Instead, the Taiwanese people must demonstrate a will and a

commitment to self-defense to obtain peace. The Democratic Progressive Party believes

that in order to safeguard Taiwans peace, security, as well as to protect its peoples lives

and property, Taiwan must continue to make preparations for a security and defense

mechanism that can respond to Chinese hostility or threats to Taiwans territorial security.

Furthermore, Taiwan must continue to engage in a transformation of its national defense,

build renewed awareness of security among its citizens, integrate resources effectively,

advance overall military capabilities, and improve contingency response measures.

10. Actively participate in regional security matters; strengthen regional security

cooperation and exchanges: In a globalizing world, security matters increasingly

require transnational cooperation. The Democratic Progressive Party believes that Taiwan

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must assure the international community that it will neither develop nor deploy weapons

of mass destruction, including nuclear and biological weapons. Taiwan should also seek

to expand cooperation with nearby Asia Pacific countries by strengthening transnational

cooperation on counter-terrorism and cyberspace security, as well as playing a more

active role in international humanitarian aid programs and safeguarding the security of

navigation through international waters.

11. Improve maritime law, and manage Taiwan as a maritime country: Taiwan is a

maritime country. In order to effectively defend its rights and interests, improve the

management of maritime resources, and adapt to changing circumstances, Taiwan must

improve legislation of the maritime legal system based on a Basic Law of the Sea as

soon as possible. Secondly, in order to manage and operate maritime resources

effectively, to protect maritime rights and interests, and to strengthen international

exchange and cooperation on maritime affairs, Taiwan should promptly integrate and

reorganize the decision-making and administrative mechanisms related to maritime

affairs.

12. Establish a multilateral consultation mechanism to cooperate in maritime

resource development: Taiwan is surrounded by seas on all sides. The surface area of its

territorial waters is larger than its land surface, while the waters that are marked as

Exclusive Economic Zones are even larger. However, due to the fact that the surrounding

countries have different views on rights involving maritime space and the use of related

resources, conflict occasionally arises. Therefore, Taiwans maritime sovereignty and the

right to use its maritime resources are under constant threat. The Democratic Progressive

Party believes that the disputes and conflicts related to waters surrounding Taiwan,

including the South China Sea, should be resolved by those countries whose interests areaffected, as well as within a multilateral framework, and in the spirit of joint

development and setting aside controversies. The DPP supports the establishment of a

multi-lateral consultation and dispute settlement mechanism under international law to

enable cooperation in areas such as maritime resource development, pollution prevention,

and navigation security, with the goal of jointly maintaining the sustainability of maritime

resources as well as peace and security on the seas.

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National Security Strategy 2011