The death of hiker “G哥” Wu Jiyun, who fell into a valley while climbing the southern section of the Central Mountain Range, has reignited discussions on hiking permits and regulations. Democratic Progressive Party legislators Yu Wan-yan and Huang Guo-shu held a press conference today, arguing that restricting hiking routes under the National Security Act is outdated. They proposed amending the law to loosen restrictions in controlled areas—opening all except zones with critical military infrastructure such as weather stations and radar facilities—to allow for freer mountaineering activities.
Yu Wan-yan stated that Taiwan has 268 mountains over 3,000 meters high, but Article 5 of the National Security Act stipulates, “To ensure the security of coastal defenses and military installations and maintain public order in mountainous areas, the Ministry of National Defense may, in conjunction with the Ministry of the Interior, designate coastal areas, mountainous areas, or regions with important military installations as restricted zones.” Since the Act designates these
Yu Wanru said that if even military strategic bases like Kinmen and Matsu can be turned into tourist destinations, why can't mountainous areas be opened for free climbing? Therefore, she hopes that Article 5 of the National Security Act can be appropriately amended to allow hikers more freedom in climbing, while also learning from international experiences—such as establishing mountaineering schools, providing professional training for activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, and stream tracing, as well as offering insurance for hikers to ensure personal safety.
Huang Guoshu pointed out that last year, nine hikers climbed Sixun Mountain, which was not open to the public, and were prosecuted under the National Security Act. Reflecting on the use of the National Security Act to restrict hiking activities, he stated that it is clearly outdated. Huang Guoshu said that due to the complicated application process for hiking and the difficulty in finding the right application channels, many hikers are often unable to proceed and don’t know how to comply with government policies when climbing.
Huang Guoshu also mentioned that last year, the Tourism Bureau produced an advertisement promoting Taiwan’s high mountain scenery to the world, but the problem is that there are no clear plans for how foreign visitors can access the designed hiking routes, where to apply, or what transportation options are available. The Tourism Bureau is set to launch the “Spine Mountain Range Tourism Year” plan in 2020, yet no corresponding supporting measures or guidelines have been seen.
Yu Wanru called for the amendment of the National Security Act to adopt a “negative list” approach, specifying prohibited areas such as high-altitude stations, radar stations, missile bases, and important military facilities, while other areas should be open for public free climbing. The Ministry of National Defense stated that in 2017, they had completed a clause-by-clause review and submitted it to the committee, and it is now awaiting the second and third readings. Regarding mountainous areas, the ministry also collaborated with the Ministry of the Interior last year to lift restrictions in Jianshi Township, Wulai District, and Sioulin Township.
The National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior stated that regarding the amendment of the National Security Act, the ministry welcomes the move. As for hiking applications, the process has now been simplified—applicants can apply in person at the controlling authority or online, as long as they submit an application form, a plan, and a route map. The ministry also emphasized that the purpose of controls is actually to assist in the safety protection of hikers. If hikers apply, the controlling authorities will be aware of their locations and can provide assistance in case of disasters or other emergencies.
(China Times)