Retired tech exec to invest NT$1 billion to train 3 million civilians to help defend Taiwan against China

The founder and former chairman of chip manufacturer United Microelectronics (UMC) has pledged to invest NT$1 billion (US$32.8 million) to train 300,000 specialist marksmen, and 3 million “black bear warriors” to actively assist with regional defense in the face of growing threats from the People’s Republic of China.

Robert Tsao revealed the plan at an international press conference held this morning, September 1, saying that the civilian force will cooperate with the soldiers of the national army to form an impermeable national defence force.

Tsao announced that he was very excited to have regained his Taiwanese citizenship, after renouncing his Singaporean citizenship. “From now on I can stand with all the brave Taiwanese compatriots to fight against the CCP’s aggression, defend the country, and make Taiwan always the same as the United States in being the land of the free and the home of the brave.” 

Now 75, Tsao relinquished his Taiwan (Republic of China) citizenship in the early 2,000s after advocating closer business ties with China and a “cross-Taiwan Strait peaceful coexistence law.” Tsao’s pro-China stance put him at odds with business and government leaders of the day, and Tsao chose to take up Singaporean citizenship.

However, Tsao’s attitude towards China, and the Chinese Communist Party in particular, has flipped 180 degrees since the early 2,000s. Tsao now sees the CCP as having the “mentality and nature of local ruffians and gangsters,” Tsao revealed in an interview with Commonwealth Magazine earlier this month.

The Commonwealth Magazine interview revealed that Tsao’s view on China had soured after the Hong Kong protests and the loss of civil liberties in that city in 2019. “The hopes I had for Communist China were completely destroyed,” Tsao said of the events in Hong Kong.

On August 26, Tsao told Formosa TV that his return to Taiwanese citizenship had symbolic meaning. “Now many people may think about fleeing as soon as possible if China attacks. But I have decided I will die in Taiwan, not in some other country,” Tsao said.

At today’s press conference, Tsao said that on June 7, Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of China’s Global Times declared that if the People’s Liberation Army invades Taiwan, they will “kill Taiwan independence and leave no survivors.” In May this year, Sha Ye, the Chinese ambassador to France warned that after China unifies Taiwan it will “re-educate” the Taiwanese people. “This so-called re-education means to continuously torture the people so they will only know how to obey and not dare resist,” Tsao said.

Tsao said that even in the 21st century world we live in today, a large number of CCP officials are openly clamoring to brainwash the 23 million people of Taiwan, completely ignoring crimes against humanity and war crimes, which is really sick. The CCP officials claim they will come to Taiwan to kill people in order to protect their territory. But Taiwan has never been under the jurisdiction of the CCP, so how could it be part of their territory? The CCP counter with the claim that Taiwan has been Chinese territory “since ancient times.”

Tsao pointed out that Taiwan’s indigenous people have lived in Taiwan for more than 4,000 years, and that Hokkien people have lived in Taiwan form more than 350 years. The Republic of China has existed for 111 years, and the People’s Republic of China has only existed for 73 years, so how can Taiwan be part of the People’s Republic of China “since ancient times?” 

Tsao said that if the CCP uses force against Taiwan, it will constitute blatant aggression, a deliberate massacre, and a vicious violation of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the face of the CCP’s viciousness and arrogance, the common hatred of Taiwanese people has been ignited. “Today, I want to introduce two action plans. One is to train 3 million civilian warriors who will actively assist in regional defense within three years. They are called “Black Bear Warriors”. They can cooperate with the soldiers of the national army to form a national defense without loopholes.”

Tsao pledged NT$600 million to accelerate its promotion and achieve this goal as soon as possible.

He also explained that another plan is to train 300,000 civilian marksmen, called “Preserving the Township Marksmen”. This plan requires coordination between the military, the police, and various county and city governments, as well as the joint efforts of civil organizations. He is willing to provide NT$400 million for the cost of this plan.

Tsao said that the 3 million black bear warriors and 300,000 “preserving the homeland marksmen,” as well as other similar programs, can help Taiwanese young people both mentally and technically to be a staunch force to resist and protect Taiwan, and to smash the CCP’s conspiracy to paralyze Taiwan from within.

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