2023-08-16 17:00:24
Robert Tsao (center), equipped with a tactical helmet and a bulletproof vest during a press conference at the Parliament in Taipei, September 1, 2022. SAM YEH / AFP
Since he announced, in August 2022, his intention to devote 3 billion Taiwan dollars (more than 90 million euros) to the training of civilians for the defense of Taiwan against the Chinese threat, the social agenda and Robert Tsao’s media is always full. The founder of United Microelectronics Corporation was one of the pioneers among electronic chip manufacturers in the 1980s. But it is now to discuss tactics, strategy and cognitive warfare in the face of the rise of the Chinese threat that Robert Tsao receives, in a beautiful apartment where the atmosphere of an election campaign HQ reigns, located on the top floor of a luxurious building facing Daan Park, in Taipei. Some pieces from its famous Chinese art collection are displayed a few floors below.
Smiling and affable, ensconced in hotel slippers, Robert Tsao reaffirms his goal of “to train three million Taiwanese citizens in three years, to prepare them for a war situation, to become more resistant mentally and physically. The only way to dissuade China from attacking us is to convince them that it is a waste of time, that if they come, they will be defeated, like Russia in Ukraine. And for that, the Taiwanese must stand up and warn China. »
He has certainly noticed the carelessness of the younger generations who “prefer to play video games”, but he has good hopes of mobilizing them little by little. He notes the enthusiasm for training courses, both in civil defense and in raising awareness of Chinese propaganda and cybersecurity, offered by one of the associations he has chosen to finance, the Kuma Academy. “We are still in the start-up phase, emphasizes Robert Tsao. We need to hire qualified trainers. Make sure they’re not spies. Then we can organize classes and courses. And hopefully, in the second half of this year, we will also be offering middle and high school online courses. »
“Click” in Hong Kong
It is currently difficult to know more about how these millions of dollars will be spent. The businessman says he does not follow these issues on a day-to-day basis. “Me, I am fully on the cognitive war front, 100% of my time online on Facebook”he said.
Robert Tsao says that it was in Hong Kong, on July 21, 2019, that he had his first “click” as to the importance and urgency of preparing Taiwanese for the existential threat posed by China. It refers to an incident that took place in Yuen Long subway station during the summer 2019 anti-government protests, when members of pro-Beijing triads beat up pro-democracy protesters without police reporting. intervene.
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