1. The All-out Mobilization Law was announced on November 14, 2001, and has
twice been amended in 2014 and 2019 respectively. Current provisions mostly
stipulate the issues of mobilization preparation, but regulations such as command
chains after mobilization as well as timely requisition are insufficient. As such, the
MND has started to revise the law after considering the regional threat and the need
to embody the concept of "National Defense" to jointly safeguard the homeland, and
hopes that the revision expands the relevant supporting mechanisms and furnishes
overall mobilization.
2. Since the effectiveness of mobilization operations in times of emergency is very
much related to the continuous existence of a country, the majority of nations around
the world have emphasized that they must be fully prepared in case of war. In fact,
Article 13 of the current All-out Mobilization Law stipulates that each mobilization
preparation institute shall conduct investigations, statistics, and plans with regard to
manpower, material resources, facilities, and others for mobilization, and is
authorized to implement verification drills to ensure mobilization is sufficient
according to plan during wartime and to effectively resist foreign invasion. Since an
All-out Mobilization Law is a legal enactment for a critical moment when a country
enters a state of emergency, its necessary control measures relevant enshrined in law
should only apply during such state of emergency; it does not impact nor infringe on
the freedom and rights of people during peacetime.
3. The legal enactment of the All-out Mobilization Law is for the necessary
measures by democratic countries when faced with threats from an enemy to help
build national security and ensure the survival of its nationals. Following the
announcement of the draft amendments by the MND, a consultation will be held to
account for the opinions of the general public, reviewed accordingly following due
procedures, and then submitted to the Executive Yuan for assessment. As such, the
MND hopes that the amendments can be furnished in line with the common goal of
protecting national security, and that communications and discussion following such
amendments remain factual; the media must not randomly and willfully distort the
facts and cause understandings. Once again, the MND firmly and seriously clarifies
the necessity and importance of this law and its amendments to protect people’s
rights and safeguard national security.