The Taiwanese military's plan to replace conscription with an almost entirely professional force may yet see a U-turn, our Chinese-language sister paper China Times reports.
"The bottom line is that defense budget expenditure has reached 3% of GDP. We are considering an alternative mechanism to maintain recruitment; a mix of conscripts and career soldiers at the same time," said defense minister Kao Hua-chu.
Kao conceded to lawmakers at a legislative meeting that the plan may not be realistic due to budget constraints. "This plan does not only concern the Ministry of National Defense but also the entire cabinet," he said.
Read the full story at Want China Times