Taiwan's Military Faces Growing Manpower Shortage, Below 80% Volunteer Target for Third Year
The island's legislature has expressed growing concern that Taiwan's military is struggling with a worsening manpower shortage, as its volunteer staffing rate has remained under the 80 per cent goal for three consecutive years, potentially affecting combat readiness.
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According to the South China Morning Post, the island's legislature has noted that Taiwan's military is grappling with a worsening manpower shortage. The volunteer staffing rate has remained below the 80 per cent target for a third consecutive year, leading to increasing concerns over the impact on combat readiness.
A Legislative Yuan Budget Centre evaluation of the government's proposed 2027 budget cautioned that ongoing personnel deficits might elevate the training requirements and workloads for troops currently serving, while also impacting readiness.
Data from the Defence ministry, as cited by the centre, indicated that the highest percentage of staff positions filled by volunteers was 88.52 per cent in 2020. However, this rate subsequently fell below the 80 per cent threshold in 2023. The figure decreased further to 75.93 per cent in 2024, and stood at 77.31 per cent at the close of the previous year.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the military's capacity to recruit specialized personnel and whether it can manage its newly acquired US equipment.
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