President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said the military should continue improving its organizational structure and enhancing troops’ practical combat training.
At a ceremony in Taipei marking the promotion of six armed forces officers, Lai expressed the hope that the military would “review the organizational structure of the main combat, defense and reserve forces” and, through regular exercises, test the troops’ ability to carry out joint operations.
The aim is to enhance the troops’ “combat resilience” through practical exercises, Lai said, adding that the “immediate response” drills conducted from Monday to Friday last week were part of such efforts.
Photo: CNA
The five-day drills were designed to test the military’s response should the Chinese People’s Liberation Army unexpectedly escalate military exercises or “gray zone” activities — coercive actions that fall short of an open conflict — near Taiwan into a real attack.
“In the face of the convergence of authoritarian forces” and “the growing gray-zone intrusions” from China, Taiwan’s armed forces must employ asymmetric warfare tactics while at the same time demonstrating their resolve to defend the country, Lai said.
He added that his administration remained committed to reforming the military and progressive troop modernization.
Army colonels Tung Shuai-ku (董帥谷), Tang Cheng (湯成), Chang Ching-tai (張景泰) and Lee Tsung-tai (李宗泰) and air force Colonel Chou Wen-hisang (周文祥) were all promoted to the rank of major general. Captain Huang Chao-hsing (黃超興) of the navy was promoted to rear admiral.
Separately, a senior military official yesterday said the number of young Taiwanese conscripts set to perform a full year of compulsory military service this year would increase by 41 percent from last year, when the move to a full year of service was initiated.
Major General Cheng Chia-chi (成家麒), who heads the human resources division at the Ministry of National Defense’s Department of Resource and Planning, said the military expects to enlist 9,839 conscripts in the full-year program, citing figures from the Ministry of the Interior.
That would be 41 percent higher than the 6,956 who enlisted in the program last year, 2,047 of whom had completed their compulsory service as of yesterday, Cheng said.
Last year, new conscripts underwent eight weeks of boot camp, but starting this year boot camp training is to include pistol, machine gun and portable missile system Stinger firing and drone operations, Cheng said.
After they are assigned to designated units, the conscripts would also undergo 13 weeks of base training, he said.
Starting in January last year, the Taiwanese military extended compulsory military service from four months to one year, with the aim of strengthening the country’s combat readiness in the face of threats from China.
Recruits born after Jan. 1, 2005, are now required to perform one year of military service, but new recruits can defer their service while attending college, something most young Taiwanese take advantage of.
That is why of the roughly 75,000 young men expected to be conscripted this year, the vast majority will still only have to perform four months of service, because they were born before 2005 and have just graduated from college.
The ministry does not expect the number of conscripts in the one-year program to surge until 2027 when it recruits college graduates born in or after 2005.
Of the nearly 7,000 who entered the full-year service program last year, 993 joined as volunteer soldiers, while 322 suspended their service due to health issues and nine were discharged early, Cheng said.
The ministry did not say why they were discharged early.
Since 1949, Taiwanese men have been required to do mandatory military service, starting with two to three years, which was gradually reduced to one year by 2008.
Under former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the government turned the nation’s military into a mainly volunteer force, and in 2013, compulsory military service was reduced to four months, a policy that remained until last year.
During the four months, conscripts undergo five weeks of boot camp, followed by 11 weeks of specialized training with field units.
The Taiwanese military is mainly a volunteer force of about 215,000 people, with conscripts serving in a supporting role.
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
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS