2020/10/23
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) issues a press release to refute reports and related inaccurate comments that "the MND rendered an account to enhance reserve forces, bypassing its immediate leadership" (October 23, 2020)
In response to media reports online that the "the MND rendered an account to enhance reserve forces, bypassing its immediate leadership", the MND refutes the story and comments today, 23rd, that the report was purely speculative and completely inconsistent with facts. The MND issued the following clarification:
1. The project report for the implementation of the "Enhancement of Reserve Forces" by the MND on behalf of Legislative Yuan is conducted according to the requirements of combat missions. Plans are proposed to increase the number of training institutions for call-up, the specific number of personnel, and salary remuneration for educational mobilization. As such, Executive Yuan is in full control of the related processes and progress. As for the needs to increase the budget and its allocation, the MND will, after submission of the project to Executive Yuan for approval, incorporate the review and compilation of budget preparation procedures for policy implementation from the fiscal year 2022 based on relevant regulations. Detailed planning of the entire project is currently under analysis prior to the implementation of any stages.
2. In addition, each of the draft bills requiring adjustments and the organization of any reserves for this project were submitted to Executive Yuan for review on September 17, and the planning and implementation of any project for combat-readiness of reserve forces is put into effect only after submission to, and approval of, Executive Yuan.
3. Enhancement of reserve forces is considered important national policy at this critical point of time in the region, and the media is urged to serve the public as best it can and avoid spreading false information that could affect people’s mentality towards our forces.