China has escalated its military harassment of Taiwan in recent years, and Taiwan’s president has been assessing the island’s military capabilities since 2020.
According to a senior government official, Taiwan is planning to increase the period of mandatory military service from four to twelve months.
The official told the news agency Reuters that the modification would be reviewed at a meeting on national security later today.
The president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, has convened a conference to discuss how to strengthen the island’s defenses in the face of increasing Chinese pressure.
According to a source for Reuters, China’s multiple unilateral actions have become a big regional security issue.
Changes will be implemented in 2024, according to the official, and will involve more severe training for conscripts, combat education utilized by US forces, and shooting exercises.
The office of Ms. Tsai confirmed the meeting and stated that she will announce the steps at a news conference immediately thereafter, but Taiwan’s defense ministry declined to comment.
When tensions looked to be lessening, Taiwan’s defense priorities shifted: the length of mandatory military service was reduced from two years to four months to appeal to younger voters, and the military progressively transitioned from a conscript force to a professional force.
China has increased its military harassment of the island in recent years, and since 2020, Ms. Tsai’s security team has been assessing Taiwan’s military.
More than seventy Chinese aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense zone on Monday, marking China’s greatest intrusion to date.
China also conducted military exercises near Taiwan in August in reaction to then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The Chinese government asserts that democratic Taiwan must return to China, and has increased its military harassment of the island over the past several years.
However, Taiwan opposes China’s sovereignty claims.
