A former citizen of Hong Kong, who emigrated to Taiwan six years ago and became a Republic of China (ROC) national, will complete his alternative military service on Aug. 11, Taipei County government sources reported yesterday.
Chan Wing-kin (陳永健), 36, who has been working at the Taipei County Taxation Department since Jan. 30 last year to fulfil his obligations under the conscription law, is currently the second-oldest conscript engaged in alternative military service in Taiwan.
Chan said he and his Taiwanese wife, both of whom are in the garment business, were shocked when he received a conscription notice from the military two years ago stipulating that, as a ROC national, he was obligated to serve his mandatory military service for at least one year and eight months, as long as he is healthy.
This caused a dilemma for Chan and his wife over whether he should stay on and be conscripted or whether he should leave Taiwan for five years until he was 40, when the requirement for mandatory military service would no longer apply.
Chan chose to stay and reported to military authorities in Taipei County, largely for the sake of his three-year old daughter, whom he wished to receive a Taiwanese education. He was assigned to the Tai-pei County Taxation Department, where he has helped the department create a bilingual Chinese-English Web site.
He has also helped to improve the level of English at the department, making it more convenient for foreign nationals.
Chan, whose parents live in the UK and who could not speak any Mandarin six years ago, is now fluent in the language.
He is scheduled to be cited for outstanding alternative service at a ceremony to be sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior on Aug. 11.
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