Taiwan To Allow Women Into Reservist Training for First Time

As the island tries to strengthen its forces against Chinese threats, Taiwan's military announced plans to include women in its reservist training for the first time this year on Tuesday.

Taiwan, which is independently governed and democratic, constantly worries about a Chinese invasion because Beijing maintains that the island is a part of its territory that will eventually be seized, if necessary, by force.

In an effort to strengthen the overall reserve force, Taipei's defence ministry announced that beginning in the second quarter of this year, 200 female soldiers who had been discharged would be permitted to enrol in voluntary reservist training.

Taiwan Women To Join Reservist Training

According to Major General Yu Wen-cheng of the ministry's All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency, this year will be a trial year for including women in reservist training. The training capacity will be planned based on the number of applicants. He told reporters that the programmes' goal is to "improve the combat capabilities of reservists" by "strengthening the effectiveness of the retraining of reserve troops in combat skills."

Despite the fact that women can volunteer to join the armed forces, only Taiwanese men are currently required to complete mandatory military service and reservist training. Numerous military analysts have urged Taiwan to take additional measures, including allowing more women to train, strengthening its reserves and better preparing its civilian population for defence.

Invoking the threat posed by an increasingly hostile China, Taiwan announced last month that it would increase the length of the four-month mandatory military service for men to one year.

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Women being required to serve in some capacity is something that some lawmakers have suggested. According to Taiwan's first female president, Tsai Ing-wen, the extension of military service is required to "ensure the democratic way of life for our future generations." She said, “No one wants war… but my fellow countrymen, peace will not fall from the sky.”

With 89,000 ground forces compared to China's one million, Taiwan is vastly out armed despite being a mountainous island that would pose a formidable challenge to an invading force.

After the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, Taiwan and China split apart, and Tsai has stated that the island's residents do not support joining China. The "reunification" of Taiwan, as described by Xi, the most assertive leader of China in decades, must not be passed down to succeeding generations.