Taiwan has extended the length of its mandatory military service from four months to a year.
Tsai Ing-Wen, the President of Taiwan, made the announcement at a press conference this week. She said that training would also be more intensive and that Taiwan’s current military defensive capabilities were not enough to withstand aggression from China.
She was quoted as saying: ‘Peace will not drop from the sky… Taiwan is on the frontline of authoritarian expansion. This is an extremely difficult decision, but as president, as the head of military forces, it is my unavoidable duty to defend national interests and our democratic way of life. No-one wants war, Taiwan and Taiwanese people are the same, and the international community is the same. China’s military aggression has become increasingly obvious after its war game in August.’
In the past all Taiwanese men over the age of 18 had had to serve for up to three years in the military. The length of service gradually reduced until it was only four months but has once again been extended as tensions with China continue to rise.
The new length of service will commence in January 2024.