Mainly covers the period June 1998 to April 2001 as well as including some earlier information.

  • Population: No separate statistics for Taiwan available.
  • Armed forces
    – active: 370,000
    – reserves: 1,657,500
    – paramilitary: 26,650
  • Compulsory recruitment age: 18
  • Voluntary recruitment age: unknown
  • Voting age (government elections): unknown
  • Child soldiers: unknown
  • Other treaties ratified: not signatory as not a UN member state
  • It is not known if there are any under-18s in government armed forces due to a lack of information on the minimum voluntary recruitment age. Reports from the early and mid-90s indicated the recruitment of children as young as 15 and raised concerns for their physical safety. It is unclear whether child recruitment is an ongoing problem and human rights observers say they are not aware of such reports.

CONTEXT

Cross-straits tensions with Beijing have stabilised in the past year but continue to remain tense. The government is in the process of introducing military reforms and liberalising policies on conscription.

GOVERNMENT

National Recruitment Legislation and Practice

According to article 20 of the 1946 Constitution, "people shall have the duty of performing military service in accordance with the law".1866 The legal basis for conscription is contained in a Chinese text published in 1933 with subsequent modifications. All men between the ages of 18 and 45 are liable for military service lasting two years.1867

Since the late 1990s military reforms have been taking place concerning conscription. In July 1998, policy changes enabled some Taiwanese with "Overseas Chinese" status to claim exemption from military service providing they had left Taiwan before the age of 15 and had not visited for more than certain prescribed periods.1868

Following considerable debate,1869 the trend towards greater flexibility in conscription has continued with options for alternatives to traditional military service. Alternatives were to be offered to 5,000 men from July 2000 followed by 10,000 the subsequent year after an evaluation of the programme. The service was to cover college graduates with those selected serving, for example, in social welfare programmes for two years.1870 The issue of exemption from compulsory national service on religious grounds has not yet been settled according to Amnesty International.

Military Training and Military Schools

Information on military schools and their age requirements is not available. However, according to a new policy ruling which came into effect on 3 August 1999, part of the time spent in military school can count towards an individual's military service obligation.1871

Child Recruitment

Reports from the early 1990s indicated that children as young as 15 have in the past been recruited into the armed forces despite a minimum age of 18 for compulsory recruitment.1872 It is unclear to what extent underage recruitment continues to be a problem in Taiwan. Human rights observers say they are not aware of such reports.1873

The authorities have admitted that no less than 2,355 young conscripts died in the course of their military service between 1990 and 1995. Although not specified, it is likely that many of these were under 18.1874 In June 1999, following the murder and rape of a school girl by a conscript, parents of conscripts who had died during military service asked for greater transparency in the investigation process. In response, the Ministry of National Defence (MND) established a military human rights protection commission as well as a special military accident investigation committee to ensure impartiality and transparency in investigating the true causes of accidents occurring within the armed forces.1875 Figures released shortly afterwards estimated that about 14 per cent of all conscripts have a criminal record.1876

1866 Blaustein and Flanz, op. cit.

1867 Horeman and Stolwijk op. cit.

1868 American Institute in Taiwan, Compulsory military service in Taiwan, 11/12/98.

1869 "Taiwan plans sweeping reforms in defence organisation", BBC Monitoring Service, 15/6/99; "Military recruits may be discharged early", China News, 22/6/99; "Conscription term to remain the same", China News, 23/6/99; Chang, F. "Government to grant early release for some military conscripts", Free China Journal, 2/7/99.

1870 Chang, L., "High-tech work an alternative to tough military training", Free China Journal, 26/3/99; Chang, J., "New conscript program set for 2000", Free China Journal, 30/4/99; "Alternative service plan set", Free China Journal, 3/9/99; "Young men of service age next year can serve in civil services", Central News Agency, 17/9/99; "Alternative national service set to begin next summer", Min Sheng Daily, 12/12/99.

1871 "Time spent in military school can count toward military service term", Central News Agency (Taiwan), 24/8/99.

1872 RB, http://www.rb.se.

1873 Communication from Brian Kennedy, Taiwan Association of Human Rights to CSC, 2/3/01.

1874 RB database quoting L'etat du monde 1997, Editions Decouverte, Paris, p. 486 and European Council of Conscripts' Organisations, ECCO Echo, No. 3, 11/96, see http://www.rb.se.

1875 Wu, S., "Minister of National Defence to set up military accident investigation committee", Central News Agency (Taiwan), 26/6/99; "Armed services discipline too weak, Minister says", China News, 27/6/99.

1876 Wu, S., "14 out of every 100 conscripts have criminal record", Central News Agency (Taiwan), 30/6/99; "Nearly 10 per cent of conscripts have criminal record. China News, 1/7/99.

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