Gun politics in Taiwan (Right to Bear Arms)

Gun politics in Taiwan (Chinese: 枪政治在台湾) refer to the regulation of civilian ownership of firearms in the Republic of China.

It is a common misconception that guns are completely illegal in Taiwan, and that no citizen may have one when the opposite is true. Civilians are allowed to own shotguns, bolt-action rifles and handguns but not assault rifles. Licenses are required for all guns, as well as a background check.

Firearms training is also considered a form of martial arts in Taiwan, there are some parts of Taiwan that have a strong gun culture, especially the rural parts. Shooting ranges sometimes are adjacent or next to a Many of Taiwan's gun owners are almost predominantly Christian.

Much of Taiwan's gun culture is geared towards hunting wild game and target shooting rather than self-protection. Families usually discourage each other to use guns to kill another being. Many children in the rural areas are also taught that guns are strictly for hunting wild game, similar to the Japanese and Amish view of guns. However, this also leads to the misconception that self-defense with the use of a firearm is illegal. Many of Taiwan's law enforcement programs have explicitly stated that guns are legal for self defense, quoting the Dali Lama on it.

Out of a population of about 25,000,000 there are approximately 1,000,000 gun owners in Taiwan and about 2,332,235 legally owned guns.

Gun Classifications
There are two types of gun classifications in Taiwan. There are the Civilian Class weapons which include bolt action and single-shot rifles. The others, the Military Class include assault rifles, certain handguns and the Neutral Class include handguns, shotguns and sniper rifles. Taiwanese citizens are only legally allowed to to buy weapons from the Civilian and Neutral Classes, while the Military Class weapons live up to its name, they are only allowed in the hands of police and the army as well as veterans.

License Laws
Different types of guns also require different licenses for Taiwanese citizens.

Hunting laws
Laws regarding hunting wild game are left up to land owners and local jurisdiction, there are no uniform laws for hunting and pest control. Most of Taiwanese gun owners pride themselves in hunting.

Rifle Authorization Card
A Rifle Authorization Card (Chinese: 步枪授权卡) allows a Taiwanese citizen to purchase any weapons from the Civilian Class, as well as shotguns and sniper rifles from the Neutral Class. The minimum age for an RAC is 18. All that is required is a minor background check to be granted a Rifle Authorization Card, a there is a three-day waiting period. A holder of a Rifle Authorization Card is allowed to have their gun in their vehicle, except in government-owned property and gun-free zones.

Hand license
Taiwanese citizens may also apply for a Hand License (Chinese: 手许可证), which allows them both own a pistol and carry it in public. The minimum age for Hand Licenses is 20. Applicants must go through a background check, as well as for mental illnesses. There is a one-week waiting period, and the license is issued by the local police. All Hand Licenses contain a uniform appearance.

Veteran license
A Veteran License (Chinese: 老将许可证) guarantees holders more liberties. This type of license is never issued to ordinary citizens, and only former members of the military and police. A Veteran License allows a holder to carry their weapons even in gun-free zones, and government property.

Self-defense laws
Is is commonly said that Taiwanese citizens can't use guns to defend themselves, yet this is a clear misconception. It is completely legal, to use any gun as a form of self-defense in Taiwan, and anybody using an unregistered firearm or with no license in the act of good-faith self defense won't be found guilty of any criminal charges. However, this practice is not common among Taiwanese families who often discourage the use of a firearm to take out anybody's lives. Taiwanese people remain divided on the issue of self-defense. About 32% of gun owners stated that they would use a firearm for self-defense, while most either prefer hand-to-hand use or guns only as a last resort.

Shooting clubs and ranges
Since firearms training is considered a form of martial arts in Taiwan, it is very common to see shooting ranges adjacent or in the same building as a hand martial arts studio. Many shooting ranges are designed just like martial arts studios.

Some popular shooting ranges in Taiwan include the Taipei Sporting Center and the Dragon's Indoor Range.