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Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Photo:
ANN WANG/REUTERS
Taiwan has decided to extend mandatory military service for male citizens, a one-time political taboo that morphed into an imperative in the face of growing Chinese aggression and intensifying competition between Washington and Beijing.
Conscription will increase to a full year from the current four months starting in 2024, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday.
“This was an extremely difficult decision,” Ms. Tsai said. “Peace depends on national defense, and national defense depends on the whole population.”
The Taiwanese leader said that conscript pay would be increased to minimum wage. Training would also be intensified and expanded to involve instruction on the use of Javelin antitank missiles and drones, she said.
Write to Joyu Wang at joyu.wang@wsj.com
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