ISLAMABAD/ TAIPEI: Taiwan has announced a plan to extend compulsory military service for citizens to one year from the current four months, according to officials, as the island is facing increasing regional conflict.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said she had called a national security meeting to discuss reinforcing the island’s civil defence, followed by a news conference on Tuesday morning on the unspecified new civil defence measures.
According to Reuters, Tsai’s security team, including high-level authorities from the defence ministry and the National Security Council, has been reviewing Taiwan’s military system since 2020 amid a fast-rising tussle, according to the official, who declined to be named because the information was private.
Official Announced plan to Extend Military Service
The official Central News Agency said that citing government and ruling party sources familiar with the issue, first reported late on Monday that her government has announced the plan to extend compulsory military service on Tuesday.
Taiwan has gradually shifted from a conscript military to a volunteer-dominated professional force.
Tsai has overseen a broad modernization program, championing the idea of “asymmetric warfare” to make the island’s forces more mobile.
