Taiwan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

4Tran

Junior Member
Registered Member
Wow man thanks a lot! I really appreciate you taking time to reply in such a comprehensive manor. I find it interesting that despite these problems, the willingness to defend the ROC among the local population is still relatively high
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. Isn't that a little bizarre, having civilian willing to fight but not the servicemen?
And yet they're unwilling to join the military. Words are easy to say when it's just words, but they are only meaningful when there's something on the line. The DPP is decended from the victims of the White Terror so they hate the military, but at the same time their supporters are also going to be the ones "very willing to" defend Taiwan. It's one of the reasons with the ROCA is so eroded even though it's one of the few that faces an existential threat.

The reality of Taiwan is that just about everyone is either going to pretend that there will be no war or that the Japanese and the Americans will do all the fighting for them.
 

zyklon

Junior Member
Registered Member
Wow man thanks a lot! I really appreciate you taking time to reply in such a comprehensive manor. I find it interesting that despite these problems, the willingness to defend the ROC among the local population is still relatively high
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
. Isn't that a little bizarre, having civilian willing to fight but not the servicemen?

According to this survey, there's little faith in both the local military, and American willingness to intervene in the event of a contingency:

7.Slight Decline in Confidence Toward Taiwan’s Military
• The proportion expressing “strong confidence” fell from 20% in September 2024 to 14%, while those expressing “no confidence” rose from 25% to 30%.
8.Decreased Trust in U.S. Security Commitments
• Those believing the U.S. “will definitely intervene militarily” dropped from 19% in March 2024 to 14%, while 47% believe the U.S. is unlikely to intervene.

If you were a local in Taiwan and "shit hit the fan," would you volunteer to fight under a military just about no one was confident of, especially if the 7th Fleet wasn't coming?

Likewise, would you expect or want your friends and relatives to risk their lives given the publicly expected odds of victory, if not survival?

Moreover, while we don't know how this survey was conducted, survey results do depend on how questions are phrased and communicated, as well as how data gets presented. It's not unusual for a survey like this to get spun or twisted in some way or another by those conducting and/or paying for it due to political priorities.

Part of the issue in play here is also typical human mental incongruence: specifically in this instance a desire for a certain outcome at a group or societal level, but a lack of willingness to contribute to, never mind to sacrifice for such an outcome at a personal level. In fact, this survey reflects such a reality:

5.Growing Support for Increasing the Defense Budget
• 51% support raising the defense budget, a 4% increase since January 2025, surpassing the majority threshold for the first time.
6.Special Budget Becomes the Preferred Source for Defense Funding
• 49% favor using special budgets to increase defense spending, ahead of “tax hikes” (42%) and “resource reallocation” (31%).

Can't take these people seriously when they want a stronger military, but are largely unwilling to pay for it, especially when they can afford to do so, unlike say the Ukrainians.

This is obviously a less formal survey, but might offer some food for thought:


Ultimately, regardless of which surveys you look at or how you interpret the results, talk is cheap. More worthwhile to evaluate their actions, especially how much $ is being spent as a % of economic output, and where that $ is going.
 
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abc李

Just Hatched
Registered Member
And yet they're unwilling to join the military. Words are easy to say when it's just words, but they are only meaningful when there's something on the line. The DPP is decended from the victims of the White Terror so they hate the military, but at the same time their supporters are also going to be the ones "very willing to" defend Taiwan. It's one of the reasons with the ROCA is so eroded even though it's one of the few that faces an existential threat.

The reality of Taiwan is that just about everyone is either going to pretend that there will be no war or that the Japanese and the Americans will do all the fighting for them.
Yeah that is another weird thing I came across. I would think that it is absolutely logical for the DPP to trust the military less than the blue camp given the historical burden, but another
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shows that the DPP supporters overwhelmingly believe in the ability of the military to defend Taiwan against the PLA (73%) vs. KMT supporters generally do not believe in the ability of the ROCA to do so (74%).

I get that what you guys are saying to me is not to mistake the words for actions (in which Taiwan lacks significantly). I am still kinda confused by this difference tho. It would seem logical to me that if the DPP supporters distrust the military as the organisation, they would also be sceptical about their capabilities, which they are not. Can anyone help me square this?
 

4Tran

Junior Member
Registered Member
Yeah that is another weird thing I came across. I would think that it is absolutely logical for the DPP to trust the military less than the blue camp given the historical burden, but another
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
shows that the DPP supporters overwhelmingly believe in the ability of the military to defend Taiwan against the PLA (73%) vs. KMT supporters generally do not believe in the ability of the ROCA to do so (74%).

I get that what you guys are saying to me is not to mistake the words for actions (in which Taiwan lacks significantly). I am still kinda confused by this difference tho. It would seem logical to me that if the DPP supporters distrust the military as the organisation, they would also be sceptical about their capabilities, which they are not. Can anyone help me square this?
It makes total sense if you ever saw the kind of media that the Taiwanese consume. The Pan-Blue media tends to be a lot more realistic in talking about China and its military. They offered some pretty decent (if a bit overenthusiastic) analysis on the May 7 battle, and were very sober about what this means about Taiwan's military chances.

In comparison, the Pan-Green media is perhaps more deluded regarding China than Indian media. The China they portray seems to be the China of the '80s and '90s. Against such a backwards foe, why wouldn't Taiwan win? It's not a matter of trusting the ROCA, and more that it should still do fine against human wave tactics. (And of course that it doesn't need to be upgraded) The DPP elites will know what's going on, but they're not the ones who are being polled here.
 

abc李

Just Hatched
Registered Member
It makes total sense if you ever saw the kind of media that the Taiwanese consume. The Pan-Blue media tends to be a lot more realistic in talking about China and its military. They offered some pretty decent (if a bit overenthusiastic) analysis on the May 7 battle, and were very sober about what this means about Taiwan's military chances.

In comparison, the Pan-Green media is perhaps more deluded regarding China than Indian media. The China they portray seems to be the China of the '80s and '90s. Against such a backwards foe, why wouldn't Taiwan win? It's not a matter of trusting the ROCA, and more that it should still do fine against human wave tactics. (And of course that it doesn't need to be upgraded) The DPP elites will know what's going on, but they're not the ones who are being polled here.
Awesome man, now it makes total sense. Thx a lot!
 
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