2025/07/01
Time: 2100 hours, July 1, 2025
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo today visited the Army Academy in Fengshan, where he delivered the “2025 Tri-Service Eight Academies Patriotic Education Address,” encouraging all new officers to maintain their original aspirations, uphold firm conviction, promote innovative thinking to address new forms of warfare, and adopt a people-centered, minimalist philosophy to pragmatically tackle duties and challenges while defending national security.
In the morning, accompanied by Vice Minister Po Horng-Huei, commanders of the tri-service branches, and relevant joint staff, Minister Koo addressed all newly commissioned officers undergoing patriotic education at the Army Academy.
Minister Koo stated that a soldier’s patriotism is not merely an emotional attachment but a commitment to action. It is worn on the body, walked in every step, and engraved in every moment of daily life. As soldiers, honor is the soul, an invisible armor, and an asset worth defending throughout one’s life.
Minister Koo urged all new officers to always uphold military honor throughout their careers. Honor does not come from external applause, medals, or recognition but from integrity and fearlessness, choosing the right path despite temptations and pressures, standing resolute in the face of adversity, and stepping forward when the nation and its people are in peril, to meet the expectations of the public.
Minister Koo noted that as warfare evolves, it has become intangible and pervasive in daily life. Facing cognitive warfare, information warfare, and legal warfare, strategies must continuously adapt as adversaries also evolve. Building innovative thinking based on pragmatism is the fundamental approach to transforming the ROC Armed Forces and strengthening national defense resilience.
Minister Koo further stated that the outcome of modern warfare depends on the strength of wisdom and will, with personnel as the core of combat readiness. At the management level, a people-centered philosophy should be upheld, focusing on service members, particularly through a minimalist approach that involves reviewing and eliminating formalism and outdated practices. Every task must be pragmatically assessed, with clear understanding of its purpose and the most effective methods, moving away from superficial slogans to address and resolve issues practically.
Minister Koo expressed hope that, with a foundation of trust, commanders will have the courage to delegate, and subordinates will have the capability to take responsibility. In future decision-making, transitioning from top-down orders to bottom-up feedback and consensus to harness collective wisdom. As demonstrated in last year’s Han Kuang exercises, the ROC Armed Forces emphasized decentralized command and mission-oriented tactics, achieving objectives through pragmatic attitudes and concrete actions, underpinned by mutual trust between ranks.