'Nobody wants war. The Taiwanese government and its people do not want it, nor does the international community want it. But peace does not fall from the sky.' 9News
Four months of mandatory military training can "no longer suit the needs" of Taiwan's defence, she said, adding that while extending the service period was a "difficult decision," it was necessary for safeguarding the island's democratic way of life.
The new conscription period, which be implemented at the start of 2024, will apply to men born after 2005, she said. According to Taiwan's Defence Ministry, all conscripts under the new system will be required to undergo eight weeks of basic military training, before 44 weeks of ground training. A White House spokesperson welcomed Taiwan's announcement in a statement to CNN, saying it underscored "Taiwan's commitment to self-defence and strengthens deterrence."
The main combat force will be comprised of professional soldiers and takes on the responsibility of territorial security, while the garrison force will be mostly made up of conscripts and performs the tasks of protecting key infrastructure inside Taiwan.During training, conscripts will work with modern weapons such as drones and practice first aid and lifesaving skills.
But while lengthening the conscription period may help boost manpower in the military, defence experts say there must also be a focus on how conscripts can receive training that suits the modern needs of Taiwan's defence if conflict were to occur.
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