ROC Taiwan 2002

ROC Yearbook 2002

National Defense
The ROC's military preparations are purely defensive and help to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
    1. Current Defense Policy
    2. Budgetary Reductions
    3. Maximizing Effectiveness
  1. Command Structure
    1. Ministry of National Defense
    2. General Staff Headquarters, MND
    3. General Headquarters of Each Service
      1. Army General Headquarters
      2. Navy General Headquarters
      3. Air Force General Headquarters
      4. Combined Services Force General Headquarters
      5. Armed Forces Reserve Command
      6. Military Police Command
  2. Manpower Structure
    1. Officers
    2. Noncommissioned Officers (NCO)
    3. Conscripts
  3. Manpower and Equipment
    1. Ground Forces
    2. Military Police
    3. Navy
    4. Air Force
  4. Military Mobilization
  5. Military Education
    1. Military Academies
  6. Defense R&D
    1. Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology
Tables, charts, and boxes:

The objective of the nation's armed forces is to defend the territory of the Republic of China on Taiwan (including the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu). This requires maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability to safeguard the nation and protect its people. The direct and most serious threat to the ROC's national security comes from the Chinese mainland, as Beijing refuses to renounce the use of military force against Taiwan. Thus, while the ROC's national defense strategy calls for a balanced development of the three armed forces, naval and air supremacy receive first priority. In addition to current defensive preparations, the long-term policy requires developing an elite fighting force and self-sufficiency in defense technology through restructuring the armed forces, streamlining command levels, renovating logistical systems, merging or reassigning military schools and high-ranking staff units, and reducing the total number of personnel.

Current Defense Policy

The ROC must maintain a strong military to deter the Chinese mainland from using force against Taiwan, which would upset the peace in the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, effective armed forces allow Taipei to conduct dialogue and negotiations with Beijing from a position of strength. The ROC's military preparations are purely defensive to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Budgetary Reductions

The defense budget for the ROC military has generally been reduced each year over the past decade, and an increasing percentage has become open to public scrutiny. The defense budget for 2002 was US$8.39 billion (NT$626 billion), or 16.5 percent of the total national budget.

Maximizing Effectiveness

The changes to the ROC's Armed Forces over the past few years reflect a shift from balancing offensive and defensive capabilities to simply assuring defense. The total number of personnel in the Armed Forces, which was at 450,000 in 1997, was reduced to 380,000 in 2001 when the Armed Forces Refining Program was completed.

Other results of the Armed Forces Refining Program include:

  • Since July 1, 1998, the MND, General Staff Headquarters, and commands of the three services have been reorganizing staff units at all levels, changing their designations according to each unit's functions. So far, 78 first grade staff units and 324 second grade staff units have been reduced by 27.44 percent each.
  • The ROC Army has adjusted the structuring of its forces, cutting several divisions and independent brigades while forming division-level commands and more than 30 joint-branch brigades. Other organizational restructuring has also been carried out.
  • The ROC Navy has acquired new combat ships, including Lafayette-class, Chengkung-class, Knox-class, and Chinchiang-class ships. In addition, an Aviation Command has been set up, and the ROC's anti-submarine group has been reassigned to it. Two division level units of the Chinese Marine Corps have been reorganized into two marine brigades and a base garrison brigade.
  • The ROC Air Force has gradually upgraded its combat wings with the acquisition of new combat aircraft, including F-16, IDF, and Mirage 2000-5 fighters. In addition, the Air Force's Eastern Command has been transformed into the Education, Training, and Doctrine Development Command.
  • On July 1, 1999, the Combined Services Headquarters completed its mission of reorganizing the ROC Armed Forces' common logistics units.
  • The ROC Military Police Command has reorganized its structure.

Facing the threat of high-tech warfare from the Chinese mainland, the ROC's Armed Forces have streamlined their organization and introduced more cost-effective measures by de-centralizing organizations, shortening the chain of command, accelerating reaction times, and promoting increased efficiency. Management and processing have shortened process flow times, fostered the creativity of grassroots units and individuals, and eliminated outdated approaches, resulting in a new military organization.


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