TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Cabinet, the Executive Yuan (行政院), approved draft amendments Thursday (Dec. 18) imposing fines up to NT$1 million (around US$31,746) on anyone publicly advocating war against Taiwan. The proposed changes to the National Security Act (國家安全法) target those supporting the forcible end of Taiwan's sovereignty through non-peaceful means. Three other laws also face amendments under the proposal.
The amendments respond to March deportation notices issued to three Chinese women married to Taiwanese citizens. Authorities acted after the women posted online videos supporting or alluding to a potential Chinese military takeover of Taiwan. The incidents sparked intense debate about freedom of speech versus national security in Taiwan's democracy.
Minister Without Portfolio Lin Ming-hsin (林明昕) said the proposal follows the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The covenant mandates that "any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law." Lin emphasized the amendments do not restrict private conversations, whether in person or online. The measures target only public advocacy accessible to everyone or in large group chats.
The draft amendments extend minimum prison terms for leaking state secrets to foreign hostile forces from five years to seven years. Maximum fines jump from NT$5 million to NT$100 million (around US$158,730 to US$3.17 million) to NT$10 million to NT$300 million (around US$317,460 to US$9.52 million). The increases reflect heightened concerns about espionage and information security.
Minister Without Portfolio Ma Yung-cheng (馬永成) said on Thursday (Dec. 18) that the amendments partially respond to recent incidents involving Chinese spouses but primarily stem from UN Covenant obligations. Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's agency handling cross-strait relations, spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) added that the government has formally adopted the covenant and must enact laws prohibiting war propaganda. The measures strike a balance between international obligations and domestic security concerns.
Critics have raised concerns about potential threats to freedom of speech in Taiwan's democracy. Lin clarified that penalties would apply only to public advocacy accessible to everyone or in large group chats. Private communications remain protected under the proposed amendments, he emphasized.
The amendments empower the Ministry of Digital Affairs (數位發展部) to restrict access or remove content. The mechanisms mirror existing systems under child protection and tobacco prevention laws. Internet service providers could be ordered to block content or limit user accounts based on the severity of the offense. The measures target online platforms where war propaganda spreads rapidly.
The proposals are then advanced to the Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's parliament, for review. The timing coincides with heightened political tensions, as opposition parties recently launched impeachment proceedings against President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Friday (Dec. 19). Opposition legislators accuse Lai of refusing to promulgate legislation he deemed unconstitutional. The political clash adds complexity to the legislative path of the security amendments.
Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said the amendments align with President Lai's directives to counter five major national security threats. The measures target China's united front efforts against Taiwan, she explained. The proposals should receive bipartisan support regardless of party affiliation, Lee added.
Taiwan faces local elections in 2026, which will raise the political stakes as lawmakers debate the security amendments. The nation balances national security concerns with democratic freedoms amid intensifying cross-strait tensions. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.5)
