The government this month introduced a new reservist training program — all reservists are to train for about 10 hours per day, which includes a two-hour, 10km nighttime combat march, for a total of 136 hours over 14 days — with the goal of improving combat readiness and maintaining reservist forces.
While the law stipulates that “volunteer enlisted soldiers” are subject to reservist management when “suspended from active service, retired or lifted from mobilization,” only male personnel are required to become reservists and participate in regular training sessions.
Even though the same regulation extends to female personnel, they can choose whether to be part of a reservist force after retirement. The Ministry of National Defense has yet to mobilize female personnel to report back to camp to participate in the reservist training program, having said that there is a sufficient force of male personnel.
Taiwan became a popular keyword on Twitter after Russia invaded Ukraine, as the world is concerned whether Taiwan could become the next center of conflict.
The ministry’s newly devised defense plan is forged in the spirit of defense autonomy and public participation, and centers on the defense of the national army.
Since the war erupted in Ukraine, Ukrainians — regardless of gender — have demonstrated a determination to engage in national defense. Ukraine’s example has highlighted the importance of reforming Taiwan’s reservist program.
As female volunteer soldiers have received the same military training and learned the same tactics and strategies as their male counterparts, it would be a shame not to utilize them.
By not having equal participation by women in the reservist training program, the government is wasting the social resources that have been poured into training these women and passing up the opportunity for military combat training.
To reform, the government should first review the Act of Military Service for Officers and Non-commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces (陸海空軍軍官士官服役條例) and related laws. To strengthen public national defense, the government should start by realizing gender equality in its reservist program, and modifying the approach of determining a person’s duties according to their gender.
It is high time this issue was addressed with some real action and planning.
Chang Ting-kuo is a freelance writer and has a master’s degree in law.
Translated by Rita Wang
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
RSS