President Tsai Ing-wen says extending military conscription will strengthen national security and improve Taiwan's self-defense abilities . Tsai spoke on Friday at Taiwan's Air Force Command in Penghu, after the Cabinet approved the new conscription plan on Thursday.
Taiwan's mandatory military service period is currently four months, but the new plan aims to extend the length to a full year, and would go into effect in 2024.
Tsai says China recently sent a record 71 warplanes into Taiwan's surrounding region near the island. She says authoritarianism has been spreading the past few years and Taiwan is on the frontline of democracy.
The president says extending conscription service to one year will also include a stronger training program that fits Taiwan's current defense requirements. She adds that a year of military service is not a waste of time, but rather a year of learning which leaves Taiwanese better able to protect their hometowns and families.
Tsai says preparing for war is the only way to avoid or stop a large conflict from breaking out. She says Taiwan needs to continuously improve its self defense skills to ensure national security.