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Cabinet proposes law revisions for all-volunteer military system

ROC Central News Agency

2009/03/26 23:21:15

By Sofia Wu

Taipei, March 26 (CNA) The Executive Yuan passed a draft package of amendments to the Conscription Act Thursday in preparation for transforming the country's military service system into an all-volunteer one.

At present, Taiwan's armed forces comprise both conscripts and volunteers, with a ratio of six to four.

According to a preliminary plan initiated by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) , the conscript-volunteer ratio will be gradually adjusted from 2010, with the goal of building up an all-volunteer combat force by 2014.

Speaking at an Executive Yuan weekly meeting, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan said the purposes of adopting an all-volunteer military service system lie in establishing a defense force that is capable of warding off invasion while refraining from initiating any offensive attacks.

Liu said the defense ministry is expected to promote the all-volunteer military service system in a gradual manner and avoid any rash move, with maintaining national security as the top concern.

With an aim of building an elite deterrent force, Liu said the government will adopt a "lean and mean" principle in reshaping the military recruitment mechanism into an all-volunteer one and avoid wasting resources.

Highlights of the law amendment package include a provision that will require young males to receive only four months of military training if the military can recruit enough volunteer service members.

Currently, Taiwanese young men are required to serve one year of military service. In the future, those who finish serving their four months in the military will become reservists, who could be put on active duty if necessary, according to the plan.