Why Advanced Countries Are Studying This... Taiwan Faces Military Shortage, Considering Women's Conscription System Proposal

Collecting Data on Female Military Personnel Management in Advanced Countries
No Instructions or Decisions Yet from President Lai Ching-te

Amid China's military demonstrations against Taiwan, reports have emerged that Taiwan, struggling with a shortage of troops, is considering mandatory military service for women.

Taiwanese media, including United Daily News, reported on the 25th that "Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense recently stated that a comprehensive evaluation is necessary regarding the potential introduction of conscription for women, considering military demand, training volume, and training locations."

A soldier stands next to an anti-tank missile carrier during military training in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan. Photo by AP

According to the reports, the Ministry of National Defense is continuously collecting and organizing data on how advanced countries manage female military personnel.

Some Taiwanese media reported that the Ministry of National Defense included the study of mandatory military service for women as a research topic during a recent discussion on the composition ratio of the Taiwanese military held at the Presidential Office (equivalent to the Presidential Secretariat). However, it has not yet reached the stage of amending related laws. Local media reported that President Lai Ching-te has not issued any instructions or decisions on the matter.

The Taiwanese military is currently mainly staffed by volunteers, with mandatory service playing a supplementary role. In December 2022, then-President Tsai Ing-wen announced that the mandatory military service period would be extended from 4 months to 1 year starting January 1, 2024.

However, experts pointed out that due to the low birthrate phenomenon, extending the mandatory service period to one year will not reverse the trend of troop reduction.

Experts warned that the military should adjust its overall personnel management plan to prepare for troop reductions by phasing out outdated equipment that requires a large number of operators and introducing automated equipment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.