Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) said yesterday that career soldiers would completely replace conscripts by the end of 2014.
Chen told the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee that the process would begin in 2011, while 10 percent of career soldiers would fill up the vacancies left by those who have completed compulsory military service.
All vacancies will be completely filled by the end of 2014 by following the plan.
Chen said more details of the schedule would be proposed to the legislature for review in June.
Individuals wishing to join the military would need high school education at minimum, Chen said.
In addition, people scheduled for their one-year compulsory military service would only have to go through a four-month military boot camp, he said.
Meanwhile, a Defense Ministry official said yesterday that Taiwan was working on creating a think tank to coordinate contacts with the Chinese military.
The official’s comments followed last week’s assertion by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) that Beijing was ready to hold talks with Taiwan on political and military issues aimed at ending hostility between the two sides.
The official said the purpose of the new liaison organization would be to build mutual trust with the Chinese military “on a step by step basis.”
He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.
“We want to establish a think tank to reduce the unsafe factors in relations between the sides,” he said, without elaborating.
Meanwhile, Kyodo News Agency reported yesterday that the defense ministry had earmarked an initial US$230 million to buy 60 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the US amid fresh indications the US Congress will likely approve the deal.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AP
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS