Learning from Ukraine Experience, Taiwan Enhances Reservist Training
Summary Report by Taiwan Weekly
Taiwan recently began the “toughest ever” reservist training in history and President Tsai Ing-wen went to inspect the training troop on March 12. President Tsai stated that this training program will implement the spirit of “all-citizen mobilization”, carry out the principle of “local mobilization, local combat”, expedite war time mobilization, and achieve the goal of “training the troops at the locality of combat.”
In a Facebook post on March 11, President Tsai stated that in order to defend Taiwan, the country follows the principle of “not fearful of war but not seeking war”, the government will maintain the combat capabilities of the reservist forces through the new training regimen, hoping the unity of regular forces and the reservist forces will build a resilient defense system. President Tsai wrote that the saying “people help those who help themselves” best describes how Ukraine faces the Russian invasion. As a contrast, Taiwan has to upgrade its resolve and strength of self-defense to defend its sovereignty and security.
Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) who accompanied President Tsai at the troop inspection said that he learned a lot from the Ukrainian war. The first is the impact on people from internet attacks, and the second is without training during peace time, it would not be appropriate during the mobilization period. People in Ukraine are able to shoot with rifles after training in several days, so Taiwan will be more confident if the reservist training can last 7 to 14 days each year.
To strengthen the reservist capabilities, the MND started the 14-day training regimen, and the first reservist troops reported at the Shanjiao Elementary School of Luzhu District in the Taoyuan City on March 5. This training is aimed at defending the beaches of New Taipei City’s Linkou District. The regimen includes training at the tactical locations and understanding of the defense responsibilities and areas of defense to achieve the goal of “immediate mobilization and immediate combat”. The regimen also includes nighttime training and outdoor camping and a 10-kilometer march. Target shooting and combat training will be adjusted to 28 hours and 56 hours respectively.
Minister Chiu stated that to the reporters that the capabilities of the reservist forces are very important to Taiwan. After finding out the previous 5 to 7 days’ trainings were not sufficient, a new 14-day training begins this year and will be carried out in northern and central parts of Taiwan. Minister Chiu said that judging from the positive situation of the new training regimen, it will be a model to be followed by subsequent trainings.
Commander John Aquilino of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command testified before Senate Armed Forces Committee on March 10. He said judging from the Ukraine crisis, it is possible that Taiwan could be invaded; the direction of Taiwan’s military investment is correct; Taiwan should prepare for war; and Mainland China’s actions towards Hong Kong, India, and in the South China Sea are worrisome.
Commander Aquilino also stated that Indo-Pacific area is the top priority and the most important combat area of the United States, Mainland China is the most worrisome strategic competitor, and the United States military has to built a joint force of a network of precision strike and anti-ship and air defenses in the first island chain. The United States has to integrate air and missile defenses in the second island chain and boost deployment to support long-term combat operations.
Jessica Lewis, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs of the Department of State, testified before Senate Foreign Affairs Committee on March 10 that Taiwan needs to focus on asymmetric military capabilities and reform on logistics. She said that Taiwan needs cost effective, mobile, resilient, and decentralized weapon systems and these systems have great impacts in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Commander Aquilino also said that Taiwan’s purchase of 100 sets of Harpoon missiles is the defense system that can survive after conflict occurs, and Taiwan has made correct military investment in procuring F-16 fighters to strengthen its air power.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published a report on global security. The report focuses on 2027 Taiwan Strait contingency. In the report, 73 percent of American experts and scholars opined that the United States should protect the air and sea transportation between Taiwan and Kinmen, but only 51 percent of the American public supported that measure; they were of the opinion that the United States should only conduct freedom of navigation operation without direct military intervention.
The CSIS report was made in November last year and studied the 2024 Taiwan’s presidential election. The report assumed that Kuomintang would lose the election and the Democratic Progressive Party would win. The report surmised that after 2026, mainland China’s fighters and military vessels will increase their incursions surrounding the Taiwan Strait; in 2027 China will include Kinmen in its Air Defense Identification Zone, hold military exercises in East China Sea, and ignite Kinmen crisis.
In another CSIS survey on future U.S. policy on China, only 15 percent of the American people wanted to take the risk to defend Taiwan.