Taiwan’s youths shun military

Students sceptical of war’s role in globally-connected economy

TAIPEI: Taiwan Air Force Staff Sergeant Jiang Pin-shiuan’s pitch to freshmen at Taipei’s Tamkang University seemed compelling: join the island’s armed forces and get a state-sponsored degree, 110 days of leave each year and annual savings of T$312,500 (RM42,115).

But many listening students showed little interest, arguing national service was a “waste of time” and prospects of the self-ruled island standing up economically or militarily to an increasingly aggressive China were slim.

“There’s no need for a war, which wastes money,” said 18-year-old Chen Fang-yi, who is an engineering major.

“I do not have much confidence and expectation for the national army.”

Chen Fang-yi

From lectures in universities and high schools across the island, lifesize dancing dolls to a flash mob performance by a special forces unit, Taiwan’s military is working hard to recruit soldiers as it moves to a fully volunteer force after decades of conscription.

Taiwan vowed in 2011 to phase out conscription to cut costs and boost the professionalism of its forces through enhanced cyberwarfare capabilities and other high-tech weapons.

The island’s defence ministry said it will be able to reach a target of enlisting 81% of the estimated 188,000 volunteer troops needed by year-end.

It hopes to raise that to 90% by 2020.

Beijing sees self-ruled Taiwan as a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring it to heel.

But military experts and government auditors say recruitment is proving challenging and the growth in voluntary recruitment isn’t fast enough.

In a report from December, three government auditors warned the growth of voluntary recruits had been slow, raising concerns about Taiwan’s combat power.

“The government needs to think whether it’s necessary to bring conscription back if they think national security matters,” said Lin Yu-fang, a convener for the Taipei-based National Policy Foundation and former head of Taiwan’s congressional defence and foreign committee.

The island’s defence ministry said it will continue to raise the quantity and quality of its armed forces and has made all necessary plans for possible military actions from China.

There’s no need for a war, which wastes money.

I do not have much confidence and expectation for the national army.