Taiwan to follow suit: President Ma want to abolish conscription within four years

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou said on 29 July 2008 that he hopes to change to a voluntary draft system in four to six years. Presently Taiwan's young men who turn 18 or graduate from college are required to serve in the military for one year.

Ma said that college graduates in the IT and electronics fields tend to forget half of what they learn after their conscription term. Not only that, what they have learned will be outdated by the time they go into the workforce. Ma says that this change would help improve Taiwan's competitiveness.

Source: Radio Taiwan International: Ma wants voluntary draft system, 29 July 2008