At Thursday's Cabinet meeting, Premier Su Tseng-chang received a briefing from the Ministry of National Defense (MND) on its plan to strengthen and recalibrate the national defense force structure, and a report from the Ministry of the Interior on its corresponding plan regarding substitute military service. The premier said that, starting in 2024, compulsory military service will be restored to a period of one year for all eligible men born after January 1, 2005 and added that President Tsai Ing-wen has initiated these important reforms to ensure Taiwan is equipped with a comprehensive national defense structure.
Only through effective preparation can we deter enemies from daring to recklessly initiate war and invasion, the premier said. The proposed reforms will restructure the military into four sections: a main combat force composed primarily of volunteer soldiers and a standing garrison force composed primarily of conscripts, as well as the preexisting civil defense system and reserve system. The reforms will build a comprehensive national defense framework and boost overall national defense capabilities.
The premier instructed related ministries and agencies to faithfully comply with the president's directives, implement relevant complementary measures and plan out conscription operations in order to fulfill the overall strategic goal of strengthening national defense, as well as to ensure that the one-year compulsory service period produces more meaningful benefits.
The premier emphasized that extending the mandatory service period to one year is a vital national policy and directed the MND and related ministries and agencies to proactively communicate and coordinate with the legislative caucuses of all parties, as well as wider society, to win support and build a broad social consensus.