Taiwan public opinion

Now That It’s a Reality, Does Taiwan Still Back Extended Military Conscription?

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Taiwan Says War With China Can and Should Be Avoided

Firing rifles in different positions, crawling forward in simulated scenarios filled with explosions, evacuating wounded soldiers, and providing emergency first aid – the Taiwanese military’s first batch of one-year conscripts recently completed their eight-week basic training. This marked a turning point in the country’s defense strategy, reflecting President Tsai Ing-wen’s decision announced in December 2022 … Read more

Taiwan’s National Identity Post-Election   

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Taiwan’s National Identity Post-Election   

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy.  This conversation with Dr. Dominic Meng-Hsuan Ya, an associate professor in the Department of History, University of Missouri-Columbia, is the 398th in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series.” What is the impact of Taiwan’s presidential … Read more

Taiwan: The Paradox of Preserving the Status Quo

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Taiwan Strait Tensions Will Stabilize – But Only Temporarily

When U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold their much-anticipated summit this evening, the question of Taiwan will loom large. For decades, all three sides have solved the problem between them by effectively shelving it, but that may not be a viable option for much longer. Preserving the status quo has been … Read more

What Do Taiwanese Think About Expanding Conscription?

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Taiwan Says War With China Can and Should Be Avoided

Advertisement In December 2022, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen announced the extension of military conscription for military-age males to one year. Prior to this change, conscription had been reduced to four months under the Ma Ying-jeou administration, with the original intention of eventually achieving an all-volunteer military. However, with power shifting from the Kuomintang (KMT) to … Read more