Tuesday, February 7, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home News World News

‘Not ready’: Taiwan reservists stoic but unprepared for China threat

AFPbyAFP
August 25, 2022, 12:00 pm
in World News
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

Sitting pensively in a pew at a Taipei church, army reservist Henry Cheng is nonchalant about the Chinese warships and jets circling his island — but he also feels ill-prepared for war.

China’s massive military drills this month pushed tensions in the Taiwan Strait to their highest point in years, deepening fears Beijing could forcibly take control of the self-ruled democracy it claims as its own. 

Coming on the heels of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the crisis has revived debate within Taiwan and among key Western allies about the readiness of the island’s vastly outnumbered military. 

But Cheng said he was unconcerned.

“It was like ‘Oh, they’re at it again,'” the 25-year-old insurance sales agent told AFP. “They’ve been talking about a war since I was little but there still hasn’t been one.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Cheng completed his mandatory four-month military service last year, placing him in the ranks of some 2.5 million reservists who could be called up to battle if an invasion took place.

Yet conflict feels like a distant reality for Cheng compared to his usual routine of meeting clients and rehearsing Christian worship songs as a drummer for his church band. 

“I’m definitely not ready (for war), because four months to me is more like going there to play,” he said, referencing his training.

“I’d probably die very quickly. I’ll face it when it comes.”

– ‘Too short’ –

Mandatory service used to be deeply unpopular in Taiwan, which was once a brutal military dictatorship but has since morphed into a progressive democracy. 

Taiwan’s previous government reduced compulsory service from one year to four months with the aim of creating a mainly volunteer force.

But Beijing’s sabre-rattling has grown more intense under President Xi Jinping, China’s most authoritarian leader in a generation.

And Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown the deadly risks of a giant authoritarian neighbour’s verbal threats becoming real.

As a result, President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration is exploring whether to reinstate tougher military service. 

It is not clear yet when a decision might be made, but polling shows more than three-quarters of the Taiwanese public now believe the length of service is too short.

Taiwan remains massively outgunned by China, with 88,000 ground forces compared to China’s one million, according to Pentagon estimates.

But the mountainous island would still present a formidable challenge. 

Taipei has stepped up reservist training and increased purchases of jets and anti-ship missiles. But experts say it is not enough.

“I truly believe four months is too short,” said Joseph Hwang, associate professor at Taiwan’s National Defense University.

“Taiwan has no condition for voluntary military service whatsoever.”

Peter Yang, an engineer who plays wargames in his spare time, remembers much of his compulsory military service was mostly “spent doing paperwork”.

“There was not a lot of time spent on training, just basic physical training and shooting practice,” the 24-year-old told AFP

“Our job is really just to die on the battlefield… so it’s enough for us to know how to fire a gun,” he said, adding reservists were given only 12 bullets for each shooting practice. 

Last month, former US army chief Mark Esper called for Taiwan to triple its mandatory service to a year and extend its enrolment to women.

– ‘Dancing, drinking, exercising’ –

American and Taiwanese strategists have pushed Taipei to adopt a “porcupine” strategy of asymmetric warfare like Ukraine to defend against a Chinese invasion.

But Taiwan’s population is not ready for the die-hard resistance seen in the streets of Ukraine’s cities, said retired air force colonel Richard Chou, who served for 21 years.

“Taiwan’s military preparation from my perspective is not enough,” the 52-year-old said, adding he would serve willingly if called back.

“It’s not only about one person holding a rifle. They also have to learn how to handle situations together as a group through training –- only then will they have a hope of resisting in the future.”

To demonstrate how unmoved the Taiwanese are by the threat, 75-year-old veteran Jasper Lee points around a central Taipei park.

“They just had the military exercise around Taiwan island and the people are like this — dancing, drinking, exercising,” he said.

But underneath the stoicism, fears of China linger for many.

John Chen, a 26-year-old reservist, said the drills have increased his anxiety, comparing Beijing to a stalker.

“This person really likes you, but he keeps saying you belong to him… he knows where you go to work every day and follows you home from work. This is the situation that Taiwan is in,” he said. 

“I’m worried about whether my country will continue to exist.”

Tags: Chinamilitary drillsreservistsTaiwanthreat
ADVERTISEMENT
AFP

AFP

Related Posts

Disney+ in Hong Kong drops ‘Simpsons’ episode with ‘forced labour’ mention

byAFP
February 7, 2023, 1:00 pm
0
8
Disney+ in Hong Kong drops ‘Simpsons’ episode with ‘forced labour’ mention

An episode of "The Simpsons" that refers to "forced labour camps" in China is nowhere to be found on the...

Read more

Earthquake kills more than 4,300 in Turkey, Syria

byAFP
February 7, 2023, 11:23 am
0
8
Earthquake kills more than 4,300 in Turkey, Syria

Rescuers in Turkey and Syria dug with their bare hands through the freezing night Tuesday hunting for survivors among the...

Read more

Japanese ‘Luffy’ criminal ringleaders deported from Philippines

byAFP
February 7, 2023, 11:00 am
0
8
Japanese ‘Luffy’ criminal ringleaders deported from Philippines

Two of the four suspects believed to be behind a spate of robberies and telephone fraud cases across Japan were...

Read more

North Korea pledges ‘expanded, intensified’ military drills

byAFP
February 7, 2023, 10:00 am
0
8
North Korea pledges ‘expanded, intensified’ military drills

North Korea's top army officials have said they will expand and intensify military drills to ensure their readiness for war,...

Read more

HK starts largest nat’l security trial

byAFP
February 6, 2023, 6:30 pm
0
8
Belgian trial to start over Vietnamese migrants found dead in trucks to UK

Hong Kong’s largest national security trial opened Monday with dozens of pro-democracy figures accused of trying to topple the government...

Read more

Upending the world: Swiss teachers take on ChatGPT

byAFP
February 6, 2023, 6:20 pm
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

“It is dizzying,” Eric Vanoncini acknowledged to the classroom full of anxious teachers as reams of text generated by the...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Morada, Bernardo win Iran badminton tourney
  • Buying bonds just got easier with ATRAM Prime
  • Binance Academy launches scholarship program to enhance Web 3.0 education in PH
  • CineMapúa upgrades to International Short Film Festival on 20th anniversary
  • Smart Live Presents Harry Styles’ ‘Love on Tour’ Concert on March 14
  • 5 Argentine rugby players sentenced to life for shocking murder
  • Data breaches, ransomware: Are you prepared or paying?
  • Andrade believes he has psychological advantage over Lineker 

Advertisement

Latest News

5 Argentine rugby players sentenced to life for shocking murder

byManila Standard Sports
February 7, 2023, 3:26 pm
0
8
5 Argentine rugby players sentenced to life for shocking murder

DOLORES, Argentina (AFP) -- A court in Argentina on Monday sentenced five amateur rugby players from the same team to...

Read more

Data breaches, ransomware: Are you prepared or paying?

byMST Tech
February 7, 2023, 2:49 pm
0
8
Data breaches, ransomware: Are you prepared or paying?

By Pierre Samson, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Hackuity Ransomware attacks have become a serious threat. The Philippines has become the...

Read more

Andrade believes he has psychological advantage over Lineker 

byManila Standard Sports
February 7, 2023, 2:46 pm
0
8
Andrade believes he has psychological advantage over Lineker 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vib7P3kH_U0 Things may have not ended the way Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade wanted in his first attempt at the ONE Bantamweight World...

Read more

Japan-affiliated telco InfiniVAN, partners kickstart PDSCN Phase II of longest, largest domestic subsea cable system

byMST Tech
February 7, 2023, 2:39 pm
0
8
Japan-affiliated telco InfiniVAN, partners kickstart PDSCN Phase II of longest, largest domestic subsea cable system

SUBIC, ZAMBALES – The InfiniVAN-led Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) project entered Phase 2 of the longest, largest domestic...

Read more

Vertiv completes CEO succession 

byMST Tech
February 7, 2023, 2:35 pm
0
8
Vertiv completes CEO succession 

Columbus, Ohio – Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, today announced that on January 1, 2023, Giordano Albertazzi assumed the...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App