The Ministry of National Defense said yesterday that it would adhere to its current streamlining program and has no plan to make further cuts to the armed forces.
The ministry’s statement came in response to a media report quoting anonymous military sources as saying that to help pave the way for an all-volunteer force in 2015, the government is mulling scraping the army, navy and air force headquarters and reducing the army to 120,000 people.
The sources were also quoted as saying that the proposal had triggered a dispute between Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu (高華柱) and National Security Council Secretary-General Jason Yuan (袁健生) during a meeting presided over by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) last month.
Under the streamlining drive, titled the Chingtsui project, the armed forces will be reduced from 275,000 people to 215,000 by next year, and the number of generals will be cut from 393 to 292.
The Chingtsui project was initiated in 2011 following two similar projects: Chingshih, which began in 1997, and Chingching, which started in 2004.
“The armed forces are undergoing a structural and manpower adjustment in accordance with the Chingtsui project … and the ministry has no plan to further reduce the army to 120,000 soldiers,” the ministry said in a press release.
Military personnel, speaking on condition of anonymity, said other major changes would only be considered after the Chingtsui project is completed and a comprehensive evaluation conducted.
Dismissing rumors of an altercation between Kao and Yuan, the ministry said interactions with the National Security Council have been amicable, and that Yuan had kindly offered encouragement and assistance to the ministry.
“The report is absolutely unsubstantiated,” the ministry said.
In other developments, the Chinese-language China Times reported on Sunday that the ministry is planning to have substitute draftees stand guard at some camps starting next year in response to the manpower reductions.
The ministry said sentry duties are still carried out mainly by enlisted soldiers because the Enforcement Statute for Substitute Services (替代役實施條例) says substitute draftees should be tasked only with auxiliary jobs, public affairs and other social services.
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