Taiwan to Begin Training Female Reservists for Battle

Taiwan announced on Sunday that its female reservists would be required, beginning May 9, to participate in military training exercises. The first group of female Taiwanese veterans will be asked to report to an undisclosed “strategic location” in Taoyuan’s Bade District to take part in a five-to-seven-day training exercise.

As of 2021, Taiwan had 8,915 women reservists helping make up a total of 180,000 active female military personnel, or roughly 15 percent of the island’s military. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, these female reservists will be required to undergo the same military training as males to eliminate gender bias.

In the past, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has said it did not have enough accommodations to train both men and women. However, as the threat of invasion from China now looms greater, Taiwan is preparing its female military personnel for battle.

Mandatory service: This is the first time Taiwan has issued military training for its female reservists. In January, the Defense Ministry also extended mandatory military service for men from four months to one year.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said the extension for the mandatory service was to “ensure the democratic way of life for our future generations.” Taiwan’s lawmakers have also pushed for the mandatory service to be extended to women.

No one wants war … but my fellow countrymen, peace will not fall from the sky.
—Tsai Ing-wen

Impending invasion? As Taiwan has worked to draw closer to the United States, China has amplified its threats of invading Taiwan. According to China’s One China policy, Taiwan belongs to the Chinese Communist Party and has no right to self-governance. Taiwan’s relationship with America has thus far prevented China from waging a full-on attack, but that deterrence is fading. Taiwan is nervous and is preparing for a Chinese invasion that could be just over the horizon.

The people of Taiwan fear for their future. … How could anyone fail to see that Taiwan is destined to become a part of mainland China? These 21 million people [now 23.6 million] are going to be forced into the Chinese mold; and it is going to happen for one reason: because of a pitifully weak-willed America.
— Gerald Flurry, Trumpet editor in chief, “Taiwan Betrayal”