Southeast Asia > Taiwan > Military

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Air force personnel	68,000		[6th of 49]
Army personnel	240,000		[9th of 49]
SOURCE: Energy Information Administration, US Department of Energy
Branches Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
DEFINITION: The names of the ground, naval, air, marine, and other defense or security forces
SOURCE: Energy Information Administration, US Department of Energy
Expenditures	2.2 % of GDP		[39th of 87]
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008		View time series
Expenditures > Dollar figure	$7,574,000,000.00		[16th of 111]
DEFINITION: Current military expenditures in US dollars; the figure is calculated by multiplying the estimated defense spending in percentage terms by the gross domestic product (GDP) calculated on an exchange rate basis not purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Dollar figures for military expenditures should be treated with caution because of different price patterns and accounting methods among nations, as well as wide variations in the strength of their currencies		View time series
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Manpower > Availability > Females	6,098,599		[45th of 162]
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008		View time series
Manpower > Availability > Males	6,283,134		[47th of 210]
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008		View time series
Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49	6,583,600		[43rd of 175]
DEFINITION: The total numbers of males aged 15-49. This statistic assumes that every individual is fit to serve.
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Manpower > Fit for military service > Males age 15-49	4,992,737		[39th of 174]
DEFINITION: The number of males aged 15-49 fit for military service. This is a more refined measure of potential military manpower availability which tries to correct for the health situation in the country and reduces the maximum potential number to a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.		View time series
SOURCE: CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005
Manpower > Military age	19 years of age
DEFINITION: The minimum age at which an individual may volunteer for military service or be subject to conscription.		View time series
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Males	164,883		[59th of 226]
DEFINITION: The number of draft-age males and females entering the military manpower pool in any given year and is a measure of the availability of draft-age young adults.		View time series
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Navy personnel	68,000		[3rd of 49]
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Service age and obligation 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009) year; women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training
DEFINITION: This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of sevice obligation.		View time series
SOURCE: Energy Information Administration, US Department of Energy
US military exports	$1,662,730.00 thousand		[2nd of 109]
DEFINITION: U.S. Military Exports, for the year 1998 (in thousands of US dollars)
SOURCE: All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
Weapon holdings	5,341,000		[18th of 137]
SOURCE: Study by David Lochhead and James Morrell; available from the Center for International Policy
WMD > Biological Taiwan has been accused of making efforts to acquire a biological weapons (BW) capability. A report from the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service claimed that Taiwan has developed three dozen types of bacteria, apparently for weaponization purposes. This report, of questionable reliability, was vigorously denied by the Ministry of National Defense (MND). Taiwan signed the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) in 1972, but its role in this treaty is not officially recognized. Taiwan has not been permitted to join the Australia Group.
DEFINITION: A description of the nation's situation with regards to the possession and manufacture of biological weapons of mass destruction
SOURCE: Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC)
WMD > Chemical In 1989, the U.S. Congress was informed that Taiwan could have acquired an offensive chemical weapons (CW) capability. While acknowledging production of small quantities of CW agents for defense research purposes, Taiwanese authorities have consistently denied any offensive CW capabilities. Still, rumors persist that Taiwan has stockpiled sarin in two locations: Tsishan (Kaohsiung) and in Kuanhsi, Hsinchu County. Chemical defense research and development is conducted at the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology. Because of Taiwan's non-state status, it cannot join the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) nor the Australia Group.
DEFINITION: A description of the nation's situation with regards to the possession and manufacture of chemical weapons of mass destruction
SOURCE: The Nuclear Threat Initiative
WMD > Missile Taiwan's short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) program is based at the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, which has developed a range of missiles including the Hsiung Feng series of anti-ship missiles, the Tien Chien series of air-to-air missiles, and the Tien Kung series of surface-to-air missiles. These systems have provided Taiwanese scientists with experience and a technological base in areas such as composite materials and guidance and fire control systems, which are essential for development of longer range surface-to-surface missiles. Taiwan has two SRBM programs. The liquid-fueled, single-stage Ching Feng has a range of 130 km with a 270 kg payload. Initially deployed in the early 1980s, it is unclear how many Ching Feng missiles were built and whether they are still operational. The Tien Chi, first test-fired in 1997, is a solid-fueled, two-stage missile with a 300 km range that can reach China's southeastern coast. The Tien Chi incorporates global positioning system technology and has an estimated payload of 100-500 kg. One report claims that as many as 50 Tien Chi missiles have been deployed on Tungyin Island and at an unidentified second location. Development of the Tien Ma, a ballistic missile with a range of 950 km, was reportedly discontinued in the early 1980s due to U.S. pressure.
DEFINITION: A description of the nation's situation with regards to the possession and manufacture of missile weapons of mass destruction
SOURCE: The Nuclear Threat Initiative
WMD > Nuclear Taiwan's first nuclear reactor was built at National Tsinghua University in 1956, and its first nuclear power plant was opened in 1965. Taiwan now possesses six nuclear units housed in three nuclear power plants with a total capacity of 5,144 megawatts. Although plagued by domestic opposition and delays, a fourth nuclear power plant is scheduled to begin operation in 2006. Taiwan's nuclear weapons program was established under the direction of the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) and the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology following the People's Republic of China's first nuclear test in October 1964. The "Hsin Chu" program involved procurement and operation of a heavy water reactor, a heavy water production plant, a reprocessing research laboratory, and a plutonium separation plant. U.S. pressure caused Taiwan to end its nuclear weapons program in 1988 after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections discovered missing fuel rods and the former deputy director of INER defected to the United States with detailed information about Taiwan's program. Taiwan probably possesses the technological expertise necessary to develop nuclear weapons, but U.S. pressure and the possibility of a pre-emptive strike by China have prevented a resumption of the nuclear weapons program.
DEFINITION: A description of the nation's situation with regards to the possession and manufacture of nuclear weapons
SOURCE: The Nuclear Threat Initiative
WMD > Overview Taiwan does not possess nuclear weapons, but began a covert nuclear weapons program in 1964 that ended in 1988 as a result of U.S. pressure. Taiwan signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968 and has implemented the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) "Program 93+2" safeguards. Despite persistent suspicions of offensive and defensive chemical and biological weapons (CBW) programs, there is no conclusive evidence that Taiwan has developed or deployed chemical or biological weapons. Taiwan is currently developing the Tien Chi, a short-range ballistic missile system that can reach the coast of China.
DEFINITION: An overview of the nation's situation with regards to the possession and manufacture of weapons of mass destruction
SOURCE: The Nuclear Threat Initiative

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