The Ministry of National Defense late on Tuesday said its policy to phase out conscription and implement an all-volunteer military would be postponed again, as recruitment targets could not be met.
The plan to abolish the conscription system is to be pushed back at least to the end of next year, though it would still depend on the number of voluntary enlistments and other conditions at that time.
Critics and media called the postponement an embarrassing setback for President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九); another “bounced check” among many promises Ma has made.
Photo: CNA
Establishing an all-volunteer military, consisting entirely of career soldiers, is considered one of Ma’s most important pledges and seen as an important test of fulfilling major government policies in his second term.
A total of 23,100 people, males aged 18 or over, would be affected by the postponement, according to the ministry’s announcement.
“Conscription is needed to cope with hostile threats from the enemy, escalating tensions in the region, the need for high combat readiness among the armed forces, and to effectively respond to disaster rescue and relief, and other emergencies,” the statement said.
According to officials, the ministry said Ma was informed of situation at a recent top-level military meeting, and the Cabinet approved the decision.
Ministry officials said compulsory military training is still in effect for males born after Jan. 1, 1994, who are still required to undergo four months of basic military training.
This is the second time that the ministry has pushed back its implementation of an all-volunteer military after not being able to meet its targets.
In September 2013, the ministry said the date would be pushed back two years because of recruitment difficulties and other situations among the branches of the armed forces.
In the original plan, the armed forces were scheduled to end compulsory military service for males born before Jan. 1, 1994, starting from Jan. 1 next year.
Tuesday’s statement marked an abrupt reversal, as the ministry announced just last month that shifting from conscription to an all-volunteer force was on track and it had reached 71 percent of its recruitment goal for the year, due to improved stipends and other incentives.
According to a high-ranking ministry official, as Taiwan is facing many “complicated circumstances and new challenges both internally and externally,” and as the situation is constantly changing, next year’s date could be pushed back again.
National conscription might even be kept, the official said.
“It will depend on adjusting to contingencies and new situations next year,” he added.
Presidential Office spokesperson Charles Chen (陳以信) said the military is on a “combined conscription and volunteer force,” and as such is not implementing an “all-volunteer force.”
“Due to false expectations, created when the term ‘all-volunteer force’ began to be used, it is not the case — as media reports have said — that this is a ‘bounced check on the all-volunteer force promise,’” Chen said.
“It was never the case,” he said.
Additional reporting by Wang Yu-chung
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist