Taiwan extends mandatory military service to one year: president

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen announced on Tuesday an extension in mandatory military service from four months to one year, saying the island needs to prepare for the increasing threat from China.

"The current four-month military service is not enough to meet the fast and ever-changing situation," she told a news conference. "We have decided to restore the one-year military service from 2024."

She said also that there was "no pressure" from the United States for military reforms including the extension of compulsory military service to one year.

Beijing considers self-ruled, democratic Taiwan a part of its territory, to be taken one day, by force if necessary, and the island lives under the constant fear of a Chinese invasion.

Under President Xi Jinping, China's sabre-rattling has intensified in recent years, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine deepened worries in Taiwan that Beijing might move similarly to annex the island.

China's "intimidation and threats against Taiwan are getting more obvious", President Tsai Ing-wen told a press conference.

"No one wants war... but my fellow countrymen, peace will not fall from the sky."

"The current four-month military service is not enough to meet the fast and ever-changing situation," she added.

"We have decided to restore the one-year military service from 2024."

The extended requirement will apply to men born after January 1, 2005, Tsai said.

Mandatory service used to be deeply unpopular in Taiwan -- once a brutal military dictatorship that has since morphed into a progressive democracy.

Its previous government had reduced compulsory military service from one year to four months with the aim of creating a mainly volunteer force.

But recent polling showed more than three-quarters of the Taiwanese public now believes that is too short.

The military has also struggled to recruit and retain full-time personnel because of low financial incentives.

Tsai described the extension as "an extremely difficult decision... to ensure the democratic way of life for our future generations".