Hong Kong
CNN
—
Taiwan’s military on Tuesday rolled out a plan to allow women to volunteer for reservist training for the first time as China continues to mount military pressure on the democratic and autonomous island.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said it will allow 220 discharged female soldiers to participate in the training from the second quarter of this year.
Major General Yu Wen-cheng of the ministry’s Comprehensive Defense Mobilization Bureau said the move would be on a trial basis this year.
Taiwan’s defense ministry has previously said it only trains male reservists.
A Taiwanese parliamentarian said excluding women from preparatory training constitutes sexism.
In December, Taiwan announced it would extend the duration of compulsory military service for all eligible men from four months to one year from 2024, with the requirement applying to men born after 2005. bottom.
According to the CIA World Factbook, Taiwan has about 170,000 soldiers, mostly volunteers, and trains about 120,000 reservists annually.
Males between the ages of 18 and 36 must either volunteer for military service or complete a period of compulsory military service in the reserves.
After discharge, the man undergoes training recalls four times in eight years.
As of 2021, women make up 15% of Taiwan’s military, but they serve primarily in non-combat missions, the CIA factbook says.
