President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday pledged to adjust the defense budget, saying that the nation has the determination and ability to defend itself.
Taiwan “will not yield even one inch of land” when it comes to national defense, Tsai said.
The defense budget would be adjusted according to demand and government finances, Tsai said in a graduation speech at National Defense University, without saying what adjustments might be made.
She urged the public to show more support for national defense and the military, and said that her administration has pushed reforms over the past year to address the gap in defense capabilities between Taiwan and China.
The nation must stay vigilant, even though it is at peace, she said, adding that the best way to avoid war is to be fully prepared for it.
“Peace should not be taken for granted, and the nation’s defense should not be overlooked because of it,” Tsai said.
Tsai thanked the US government for approving arms sales to Taiwan, the first defense assistance announced by the administration of US President Donald Trump since its inauguration in January.
Tsai also addressed the issue of military pension reform.
The retirement benefits of two other major groups of public employees — public-school teachers and civil servants — are being slashed by Tsai’s government, but she has not touched the military pension system, which is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Tsai guaranteed soldiers their right to a pension and said that the Ministry of National Defense is planning a new pension system to take care of military personnel because of the different nature of their jobs compared with other public employees.
She offered no details on what the new system might entail.
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