By Jia Feimao | 2025-05-08

The regular presence of People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and ships around Taiwan has become a stark reminder of the island's precarious security situation.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND), the first four months of 2025 have witnessed over 1,700 PLA aircraft sorties and 859 naval deployments near Taiwan, marking a record high in frequency.

These activities are perceived as simulations for a possible forcible unification.

Amid escalating military pressure, Taiwan's armed forces are struggling with a significant challenge: stabilizing and maintaining their volunteer personnel numbers.

As of last June, the number of active volunteer military personnel stood at 152,885 -- the lowest since 2018, the year when the country adopted a mixed conscription system.

Compulsory service

This decline is attributed to Taiwan's low birth rate and the competitive allure of the private sector, making military recruitment and retention increasingly difficult.

In response, Taiwan reinstated one-year compulsory military service in 2024, aiming to bridge the manpower gap left by dwindling volunteer numbers.

Compulsory service was only four months long per year from 2013 to 2024.

The MND expects the number of conscripts to increase to over 53,000 by 2029, up from 9,125 in 2024.

The MND also will extend and upgrade training with expanded live-fire drills, survival skills and civil defense components to ensure conscripts are prepared for territorial defense roles.

A noncommissioned officer surnamed Yang, discharged in early 2024, told Focus that chronic understaffing has become the norm.

"A platoon used to have more than 20 people, but now often [it has] fewer than 10," he said.

The increased PLA activity has intensified training and rotations, further stretching already thin units, he added.

"Some even joked to my face that the Taiwanese military is combat incapable," Yang said, blaming the lack of public respect for driving some personnel to leave.

Data reveal a downward trend in the military's authorized-to-actual personnel ratio (staffing ratio), dropping from 88.57% in 2020 to 78.6% in 2024, falling below the generally accepted minimum operational standard of 85%.

Notably, 19 main combat units reported staffing levels below 80%.

Pay reform

The number of early discharges has surged, with 1,565 noncommissioned officers opting to leave the service in 2024 -- a significant increase from the 401 in 2020.

These individuals chose early discharge despite the financial penalties associated with breaking service contracts.

Army Lt. Ah-de (a pseudonym), set to leave the service after 10 years, told Focus that he originally planned a 20-year military career but changed course because of frustration with a culture that "avoids mistakes rather than pursues merit."

As part of a long-term effort to counter China's growing military threat, Taiwan implemented a military pay reform on April 1 to boost recruitment and retention.

The new scheme increases monthly allowances across the board, especially for volunteer service members. Junior officers will receive raises of up to 50%, senior officers up to 30% and frontline combat troops will see additional boosts under a revised three-tier system.

Motivated to serve

Despite these challenges, some officers and soldiers remain committed to their roles.

Lt. Xie, from the Military Academy's 103rd class and who asked for only his surname to be published, acknowledged the heavier workload in recent years but welcomed better pay and growing governmental support.

He has seen no "wave of departures" among his peers, he told Focus, adding that morale remains steady despite mounting risks.

As for his own resolve, he said he feels "a stronger commitment" to serve.