Women reservists will participate in military training in Taiwan, the Asian country’s army announced Monday, quoted by the CNA news agency.
The island’s government had already announced earlier this year that it would allow some 200 female soldiers to participate in volunteer reservist training starting in April, amid rising tensions with China.
According to the CNA, this first group of women will participate in a five to seven day training in a “strategic place” in the Taoyuan region, in the northwest of the island.
The exact number of women who will participate and the exact location were not disclosed, “for security reasons.”
So far, only men have been required to do conscription in Taiwan, although women can volunteer in the military, and reservist training was also reserved for men.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry did not specify whether the training of female reservists was due to the risk of conflict with China.
About 15% of Taiwan’s active military are women.
Last month, the island announced that mandatory military service will be for one year, instead of the current four months.
China and Taiwan have ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, but Beijing claims sovereignty over the democratic island.
Source: TSF
