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Concern over Taiwan’s military reserves, civil defence as mainland China looms
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underscored the importance of mobilising civilians when under attack and highlighted Taiwan’s weaknesses
- About 73 per cent of Taiwanese say they would be willing to fight for the island if Beijing invaded
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Chris Chen, a former captain in Taiwan’s military, spent a lot of time waiting during his weeklong training for reservists in June. Waiting for assembly, waiting for lunch, waiting for training, he said.
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The course, part of Taiwan’s efforts to deter a mainland Chinese invasion, was jam-packed with 200 reservists to one instructor.
“It just became all listening, there was very little time to actually carry out the instructions,” Chen said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underscored the importance of mobilising civilians when under attack, as Ukraine’s reserve forces helped fend off the invaders. Nearly halfway around the world, it has highlighted Taiwan’s weaknesses on that front, chiefly in two areas: its reserves and civilian defence force.
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Inside the Taiwanese navy’s ‘hell week’, where less than half the participants make it through
Inside the Taiwanese navy’s ‘hell week’, where less than half the participants make it through
While an invasion does not appear imminent, Beijing’s recent large-scale military exercises in response to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan have made the government in Taipei more aware than ever of the hard power behind Beijing’s rhetoric around bringing the self-ruled island under its control.
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Experts said civilian defence and reserve forces had an important deterrent effect, showing a potential aggressor that the risks of invasion were high. Even before the invasion of Ukraine in March, Taiwan was working on reforming both. The question is whether it will be enough.
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