Most of the Taiwanese public favors a return to compulsory military service, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said yesterday, citing a recent opinion poll conducted by the Academia Sinica.
In response, Ministry of National Defense officials said the transformation to an all-volunteer military cannot be reversed.
Hsiao discussed the poll results yesterday at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee in Taipei.
She said the poll showed majority support in every age group for returning to the compulsory military service system to bolster military strength.
“Now the military has the problem of too many commanding officers and too few soldiers. According to the government’s current fiscal constraints and staff planning, it is not possible to convert to an all-volunteer military,” she said.
“The defense ministry must face this issue in earnest to assess and manage the risks involved. Government officials must not let the current problem slide in trying to fulfill an untenable target,” she added.
In response, Deputy Minister of National Defense Admiral Chen Yung-kang (陳永康) said: “The all-volunteer enlistment program is already under way. We cannot reverse the process.”
The survey, carried out by researchers during a workshop on China’s impact presented by the Academia Sinica’s Institute of Sociology in January and February, asked participants: “Do you agree that Taiwan must maintain compulsory military service system to enhance its military strength?”
According to the survey, 50 to 60 percent of respondents in all age groups answered in favor, with the highest proportion being in the 30-to-39 age group at 70 percent.
Observers said the survey indicated the public’s concern with the numerous corruption and morale scandals besieging the armed forces, as well as declining combat capabilities to defend the nation in the face of growing Chinese military power.
Some officials speculated that Hsiao was testing the waters for DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on the issue, since Hsiao is among Tsai’s inner circle of advisers.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) said the issues raised are very important, and that the defense ministry should assess the situation and verify the numbers cited by the survey.
Separately yesterday, Chen Wen-cheng (陳文政), convener for the national defense policy group at the New Frontier Foundation, a DPP think tank, said the all-volunteer program would be reassessed if the DPP wins next year’s elections.
“We see the current government’s military downsizing program as being pushed ahead without proper planning, which has led to low morale and other problems among middle-rank officers and soldiers,” Chen said.
“Therefore, the DPP would support a temporary halt to the downsizing process. The current all-volunteer military initiative by the ministry is the most egregious example of a politician making ill-advised promises and trying to implement flawed policies after election,” he said, likely referring to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
Conscription remains in place for all eligible able-bodied male citizens over the age of 18 for mandatory military service.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show
RSS