Taiwan will extend the duration of compulsory military service from four months to one year in 2024, writes Reuters.
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen announced on the 27th of December that the threat from China is increasing, so it is necessary to extend compulsory military service. China is increasing military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan, and for the past three years, the Chinese Air Force has been conducting overflights near Taiwan almost daily.
After meeting with senior military officials, Ing-wen said Taiwan wants peace, but must also be ready to defend itself. She stated:
«As long as Taiwan is strong enough, it will be the home of democracy and freedom all over the world, and it will not become a battlefield.»
At a press conference, Taiwan’s president said the decision to extend the service was difficult and added that the current system was insufficient to counter military threats.
It is planned that in addition to extending the service, the training program will also be more intensive.
The security issues group created by the President of Taiwan has been reviewing Taiwan’s defense system since 2020. On the 26th of December, Taipei reported the largest-ever crossing of its airspace by China. 43 aircraft were reported to have crossed the unofficial buffer zone. In September, after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China held large-scale military exercises near Taiwan’s border.
It is estimated that the extension of the service period will allow the professional army to add an additional 60 to 70 thousand soldiers every year after 2027. Even after the extension of the service, it will still be shorter than in South Korea, where the service lasts a year and a half.
Taiwan gradually transitioned from conscription to a professional volunteer army, but China’s increasing attempts to influence Taiwan and Russia’s incursion into Ukraine have prompted speculation about strengthening its defense capabilities. Ing-wen said that Taiwan has learned lessons from the war in Ukraine and will incorporate this experience into its defense system.
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