Taiwan Extensions Mandatory Military, President Tsai Ing-wen Calls The Current System Inefficient Of Overcoming Chinese Threats

President Tsai Ing-wen (blue hat) had a dialogue with the Taiwanese army. (Wikimedia Commons/Rise)

JAKARTA - Taiwan will extend its mandatory military service to one year from four months starting in 2024, due to growing threats facing the democratically-ruled island from its giant neighbor, China, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday.

The move, which has been well-characterized, comes as China increases military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan to assert its claim to sovereignty, including China's nearly daily air force missions near the island over the past three years.

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

"As long as Taiwan is strong enough, it will become a 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 his military service period, which he described as "very difficult".

The current military system, including training reserves, is inefficient and insufficient to address China's growing military threats, especially if it launches rapid attacks on the island, President Tsai continued.

"Taiwan wants to tell the world that between democracy and dictatorship, we strongly believe in democracy. Between war and peace, we demand peace. Let us show courage and determination to protect our homeland and defend democracy," he explained.

Military obligations will undergo more intensive training, including firing drills, combat instructions used by US forces and operating stronger weapons, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles, President Tsai said.

Taiwan had complained about the delay in US arms shipments this year, including Stinger, but President Tsai said the situation had improved after discussions with the United States.

Separately, President Tsai's security team, including top-level officials from the Ministry of Defense and the National Security Council, has been reviewing Taiwan's military systems since 2020, an official who explained the matter to Reuters.

Nantinya, wajib militer akan ditugaskan untuk menjaga infrastruktur utama, memungkinkan pasukan reguler untuk merespons lebih cepat jika ada upaya China untuk menyerang, kata Kementerian Pertahanan pada konferensi pers yang sama.

Separately, Chieh Chung, a researcher at the National Policy Foundation, a Taipei-based think tank, estimates that the extension could add 60,000 to 70,000 workers annually to current 165,000 professionals by 2027 and beyond.