A Note on Taiwan's National Security Council and its Role in Antiterrorism

While the U.S. struggled to quickly mobilize a coordinated national homeland security office after the September 11 attacks, the National Security Council (NSC) has been responsible for monitoring security in the Republic of China since the Nationalists moved to Taiwan in 1949. Although its primary mission has been to prevent Taiwan from being invaded by Mainland China, recent world events have awakened us to a need for security, a need that seemed to have faded away after the end of the Cold War. Although not a strong probability, Taiwan is still a possible target of terrorism because of its close relationship with the U.S. Thus, it is worthwhile to explore the role of NSC in antiterrorist efforts. The NSC plays a vital role in coordinating executive agencies in antiterrorism efforts. The NSC's antiterrorist measures cover the whole spectrum of the executive branch ranging from law enforcement to non‐law enforcement efforts. The tradition of collaboration among the military, police, and private security in Taiwan may help the NSC to smoothly coordinate these three parties.