Chin Criticizes Taipei's Decision to Extend Military Conscription: We Believe Taiwanese are Very Principled

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. (Twitter/@MFA_China)

JAKARTA - The Chinese government criticized Taiwan on Wednesday for trying to use the Taiwanese people as 'cannon fodder' by extending compulsory military service from four months to one year starting in 2024.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen announced a conscription extension on Tuesday, citing the growing threat the island faces from China.

While China regards democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, it has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

Responding to questions about Taiwan's decision to extend the mandatory military service period, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, "Striving for the great task of achieving national reunification is very significant, dying for Taiwan independence separatist activities is absolutely worthless".

"We believe the Taiwanese people are very principled, they will not be used as cannon fodder by the Taiwan independence separatist forces," Wang told a regular press conference, reported by Reuters December 29.

China has stepped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan to assert its claims of sovereignty, including nearly daily Chinese air force missions near the island over the past three years.

As previously reported, Taiwan will extend its mandatory military service to one year from four months from 2024, due to the increasing threat the democratically governed island faces from its giant neighbor, China, President Tsai Ing-wen said.

President Tsai said Taiwan wants peace but must be able to defend itself.

"As long as Taiwan is strong enough, it will be the home of democracy and freedom around the world and will not become a battlefield," President Tsai told a news conference announcing the decision to extend the mandatory military service period, which she described as "very difficult".

The current military system, including training reserves, is inefficient and insufficient to deal with China's growing military threat, especially if it launches a swift attack on the island, President Tsai continued.

"Taiwan wants to tell the world that between democracy and dictatorship, we firmly believe in democracy. Between war and peace, we demand peace. Let's show courage and determination to protect our motherland and defend democracy," he said.

Conscripts will undergo more intensive training, including shooting exercises, combat instruction used by US forces and operating more powerful weapons, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles, President Tsai said.