Defense ministry proposes relaxing physical requirements for conscripts

Defense ministry proposes relaxing physical requirements for conscripts

2022-08-22

The Ministry of National Defense has announced plans to relax physical requirements for new conscripts. Currently, men are exempted from service if they are under 158 centimeters tall, or have a body mass index below 16.5 or above 31.5. Moving forward, the minimum height requirement for service could be lowered to 154 centimeters and the BMI widened to a range of 15 to 35. A DPP lawmaker says the laxer requirements will allow a higher number of conscripts to serve. Let’s hear from him.

Chao Tien-lin
DPP lawmaker
On the front of quantity, we have career soldiers, that is to say, people who enlist in the military. Then we also have the military training and substitute military training. It’s very important to have enough people. Relaxing the criteria for conscription would allow more people to serve our country.

Su Tzu-yun
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
In Singapore, conscripts do nine weeks of basic training. If their BMI is above a certain threshold, they may have to do 19 weeks of recruit training, so that their BMI meets a certain threshold. That makes it so that people can train their physique before conscription, so that their BMI can be within the standard threshold. If they pass the exam, they can save themselves 8 weeks of training. So that becomes a good motivation.

An expert says Taiwan can consider implementing a model like Singapore’s, which encourages conscripts to get in shape before training. Amid rising cross-strait tensions, the Ministry of National Defense is looking for ways to strengthen Taiwan’s military strength.

兵役體位研擬修正視力.身高.BMI皆有調整

2022-08-22

國防部預告，研擬修正兵役體位的區分標準，以身高來說，現行158公分以下就免役，但修正後要154公分以下；BMI部分原本小於16.5、大於31.5就免役，修正後則需要小於15、大於35，綠營立委認為標準放寬，兵源可望增加。

[[立委(民) 趙天麟]]
“在量的部分除了我們的職業軍人，也就是募兵制之外，軍事訓練役跟替代役，量的補充也非常重要，所以這一次把整個入伍的標準把它放寬，讓更多的我們國人可以為國效力”

[[國防院軍事戰略暨產業所長蘇紫雲]]
“新加坡一般新兵入伍之後，是9個禮拜的基本訓練，那如果是BMI超標，可能就要參加19週的新訓訓練，把他的體位調整到正常的狀況，也讓一般的國民他在入伍之前，也可以自己先鍛鍊體能，讓他BMI值可以符合在標準的範圍之內，鑑測通過之後，役男他可以節省8週的役期，這樣就會變成一個良性循環”

學者也以新加坡為例，給出專業建議。隨著台海情勢升溫，國防部持續透過各種方式強化戰力，應對可能的突發狀況。

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After a short skit simulating voting in the referendum to lower the country’s voting age, DPP Taoyuan mayoral candidate Cheng Yun-peng announces his campaign team. DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan will serve as convener for Cheng’s political platform, and DPP Legislator Huang Shih-chieh will serve as director general of his campaign office.

Cheng Yun-peng
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Huang is a good friend of mine from the Legislative Yuan. Although he’s newly established, he has a wealth of experience. We will cooperate in the same way we do in the legislative caucus – like twin engines. As for Lin, he’s lived in Taoyuan for two years now. He works at the party headquarters in the day, and then comes home to Taoyuan at night. This is the typical Northern Taiwan lifestyle of commuting. So, he’s quite familiar with Taoyuan.

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Cheng is quick-witted, and he can come up with innovative solutions to the city’s problems. He’s a person who gets things done.

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Lots of investment is coming into Taoyuan. Investment from returning overseas businesspeople and international corporations is at an all-time high, so we need comprehensive policies. Especially important will be how to take care of young parents, young families.

Aside from announcing campaign team members, Cheng on Monday also announced key policies of his platform. He vowed to build on the efforts of incumbent Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan, focusing on youth employment and the labor shortage.

Cheng Yun-peng
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Youth who find work through the city’s job bank and are stably employed for half a year can receive an award of NT$25,000. If you work in an industry with a labor shortage for a year you can be awarded NT$30,000. If you receive class A and B professional certification, you can receive NT$9,000 and NT$21,000 for the certificates, respectively. So, in total you can be awarded up NT$85,000.

Cheng said he is also planning a policy aimed at helping disadvantaged households get effective access to funding information, which will be provided proactively by job banks.

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At rush hour, every journey on a bike, car or bus is made possible by technology. Humans have developed all kinds of technological innovations. Now the National Science and Technology Council has made these films to highlight Taiwanese science in relation to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. They aim to inspire more young innovators across the country.

Yeh Chih-cheng
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We made a series of films on popular science-related things, including about transportation and disaster prevention. Our premiere today was the first three films, so we hope they will inspire students and encourage them to go into scientific industries.

The humble silicon chip is a vital component in tech for everything from extreme climate emergencies to the pandemic, wars, transport and space exploration. Technology is changing our daily lives, but it’s also a big part of international political rivalry. The Smart Heart Taiwan series focuses on six themes: aerospace, disaster prevention, finance, healthcare, transport and sustainability. The films bring high tech topics to life in an accessible way for all audiences, inspiring children and adults alike with the achievements of Taiwan’s scientists.

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The experts helped us to find simple language, with supports like animated special effects, so the new generation can understand better the technical prowess of Taiwan in the world, which we can be immensely proud of. We will broadcast the film across Taiwan and abroad, to make Taiwan more visible globally.

Technology advances almost too fast to keep up. Whether you’re interested in climate change or lifestyle changes, with these films you can easily catch up on all the latest scientific advances in Taiwan.

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Pull up on the grass under the shade of a tree. Let the ladder down and set up the awning, and in no time at all, your new home is ready. With this campervan, you can escape the city and cool off in the mountains.

Yeh Wei-hsiang
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It takes less than two minutes to set up a campervan awning like this one. There are sleeping bags and an electric fan in the van.

The tent above the van is for sleeping in. For your kitchen and living room, look no further than the boot of the van. Table and chairs, a cooking stove – it’s all here. Camping has really taken off in Taiwan in the last two years, and businesses are catching up.

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The pandemic is easing, and it’s summer. In Taiwan, it is usually very cool if you head up to high altitudes in the evening. So because of that, camping is getting very popular. Our profits have risen accordingly by about 10% to 20%.

Member of public
My friend has started it recently, they also just got into it. A campervan awning is better – it’s faster and more convenient.

A tent is the classic camping kit. But caravans and campervans are all the rage now. One popular choice is a caravan or trailer imported from abroad. They have full bathroom facilities inside. It’s like a tiny hotel on wheels. One of these can cost NT$3 million. Other people take a van and remodel it into a campervan. But refitting the vehicle will set you back NT$1 million at least. Then there are awnings. They can be fitted to any kind of vehicle, and with all the accessories included, you won’t spend more than NT$100,000. That’s the most economical option.

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The chunks become golden brown, and a delicious scent fills the air. The fish is tender, with a delicate flavor. And it’s not the only mouthwatering aroma.

Fresh swordtip squid are tossed about in the pan until golden. Then the aromatics go in: spring onions, garlic, chili and ginger. It’s a tasty and eye-catching assortment. But if we’re talking about appetizing foods, how about this beltfish roulade.

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Tsai Yuan-lung
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This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival meal packets are all made with Taiwanese seafood, including grouper, beltfish and swordtip squid. The fish featured are different from before.

China’s sudden import ban on several Taiwanese fish products prompted a Su-ao fishermen’s association to team up with aquaculturists in Southern Taiwan to create these meal sets showcasing Taiwan’s marine delicacies. They hope the meals will sell well ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

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They’ve helped us promote our products in the south before. So now the fish industries of the north and south are teaming up. We hope to sell our Taiwanese fish products in the local market, so that Taiwanese can taste the freshest catch we have.

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Reports say about 20 Taiwanese buyers have been affected. They had purchased a total of 30 units, to the tune of about NT$7.5 million per unit. They had paid down payments, contract fees and about 31% of the total cost of the units to the developer. But now that the project is delayed, the Cambodian developers and Taiwanese sales agents are engaging in a complicated transnational legal battle.

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If the Taiwan agent has already engaged in the deal and shared profits it could be considered an accomplice in the case and could have to bear criminal responsibility in accordance with the Banking Act of the Republic of China.

And property disputes are not the only source of tensions between Cambodia and Taiwan. According to Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung, about 370 Taiwanese are stuck in Cambodia after falling victim to human trafficking scams. Amid suggestions that Taiwan’s government should pay ransoms to rescue the victims, Hsu says that doing so would just be a temporary solution that wouldn’t actually solve the problem.

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Our nation’s position and our government’s position on the matter is just like that of any other country in the world. We will not pay ransoms. We cannot negotiate with criminals like that. Otherwise, these kinds of cases will never stop arising.

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