Taipei extends mandatory military service to counter threats
White House: Chinese military maneuvers near Taiwan 'provocative'
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen during a press conference yesterday.
EPA
The US administration criticized China's military maneuvers near Taiwan this week, describing them as "provocative," stressing that it would continue to support the government in Taipei in defending itself, while Taiwan extended its compulsory military service from four months to one year, in preparation to face the growing threats.
And the US National Security Council said, in a statement, yesterday, that the United States is concerned about Chinese activity that “causes destabilization, risks miscalculation, and undermines regional peace and stability,” according to Bloomberg News.
"We will continue to help Taiwan maintain sufficient capabilities to defend itself, in line with our long-term commitments, and with the one-China policy," the statement added.
Although the Taiwan issue remains a source of tension between China and the United States, it does not seem to hinder recent efforts by both sides to improve relations.
It is scheduled that the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, will visit Beijing in early 2023, to follow up on the results of the meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Indonesia, last November.
China's ambassador to the United States, Chen Gang, said in a comment published by the American magazine "The National Interest" on Monday, the strength of bilateral relations.
"The differences between China and the United States - in history, culture, social system and path of development - will probably persist in 100 years," said Chen, one of the leading candidates to become China's next foreign minister.
"But since we live in the same world, we should and can listen to each other, narrow the gap in our perceptions of the world, and explore ways of consensus on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," Chen added.
In Taipei, Taiwan extended compulsory military service from four months to one year, as announced by President Tsai Ing-wen yesterday, stressing the need for the island's readiness to face China's growing threats.
"The current four-month military service is not sufficient to respond to the ever-changing situation at an accelerating pace," she said in a press conference.
"We decided to restore the period of military service for a year, starting from 2024," she added.
She explained that the amendment will apply to all men born after January 1, 2005.
The announcement comes two days after Chinese military maneuvers near Taiwan, which Beijing says are taking place in response to unspecified “provocations” and “collusion” between the United States and the self-governing island.
And in the event of a conflict, Beijing, with a million troops, would far exceed Taiwan's 88,000 island troops, according to Pentagon estimates.
Beijing also surpasses it in military equipment.
Taiwan has stepped up reservist training and increased purchases of fighter jets and anti-ship missiles to bolster its defences, but experts say that is not enough.
A military dictatorship imposed unpopular compulsory military service, before the mountainous island became democratic and progressive.
The previous Taiwanese government had shortened the period from one year to four months, preferring to develop an army of conscripts.
But recent opinion polls show that more than three-quarters of Taiwanese consider this period to be too short.
The military has difficulty recruiting and retaining full-time people due to lack of financial incentives.
Tsai considered her decision to extend military service "very difficult", but indicated that it was aimed at "securing a democratic way of life for our future generations".
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