The shrinking of Taiwan’s active-duty troop numbers is causing concern among observers as cross-strait threats intensify. According to reports, Taiwan’s active volunteer soldier numbers are expected to decrease to around 160,800 next year, a 3% drop from the previous year. Analysts attribute this decline to the decreasing appeal of military jobs in the face of Beijing’s growing grey zone tactics. Taiwan, which relies on voluntary troops and male reservists, had aimed to transition to an all-volunteer military system by reducing compulsory service periods from two years to four months. This trend raises questions about Taiwan’s war preparedness and ability to…

A riveting new mini-series, “Zero Day,” has taken Taiwan by storm with its intense portrayal of a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) attack on the self-ruled island. The drama unfolds against the backdrop of a mainland military blockade following the disappearance of a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft off Taiwan’s southeast coast. Screenshot from the trailer for Zero Day mini-series about a People’s Liberation Army attack on the self-ruled island. Photo: Zero Day handout The trailer has garnered over 390,000 views and sparked heated discussions, with some praising its realism and others questioning its political undertones. The NT$230 million production was partly funded…

China recently revised its emergency response law following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new law, effective in November, increases penalties for failing to meet legal obligations during emergencies, highlighting the importance of preparedness and response strategies. The revision focuses on enhancing emergency response systems and centralizing resources to ensure a swift and efficient response to crises. President Xi Jinping’s directive to establish a centralised emergency resource reserves system underpins the importance of proactive measures in emergency management. With China facing extreme weather patterns, the law aims to address the increasing frequency of disasters by establishing comprehensive emergency…

Taiwan has heightened its travel alerts for mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau following Beijing’s release of new judicial guidelines that could result in the death penalty for “diehard separatists.” The Mainland Affairs Council in Taipei expressed that the new regulations posed a severe threat to the personal safety of Taiwan residents. The updated guidelines have raised the travel warnings for the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau to the second-highest level in the four-tier system, indicating “unnecessary travel” should be avoided, aligning with warnings for countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Lebanon. Residents are advised against engaging in sensitive matters and…

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy recently conducted a drill in the South China Sea involving destroyers such as the Haikou, Kunming, and Xianning. The exercise focused on sea warfare, air defense, anti-missile warfare, and anti-submarine warfare. It included night strikes on shore targets and buoy exercises. The PLA’s move comes after the conclusion of the annual Balikatan military exercise between the US and the Philippines. This drill highlighted tensions over navigation buoys in the disputed waters between China and the Philippines. With more than 11,000 US troops, 5,000 Filipino soldiers, and participants from Australia and France, the Balikatan drills…