The Ministry of National Defense has stated today (2^nd) that the media coverage of “Non-government Policy Think Tank; Military and Cultural Exchange Is Necessary During Military Simulation, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research Is Said to be Forcing Officers to Attend Trainings” is a misinterpretation.

The Ministry of National Defense pointed out that in order to improve the research energy of students, the National Defense University encouraged students of the Institute of Strategic Studies to collect theses information at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research during free time and off-campus visits in the second semester of sophomore year without hindering their courses. With only a month’s time, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research arranged PhD researchers to personally instruct these students on writing theses and participate think tank discussion and international exchange activities; not only can they improve the quality of theses writing, but also widen the vision of these students through the participation of forums. The activity was well received by the students, who felt that they have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge. Coverage regarding the forcing of officers on attending trainings is a misinterpretation and the ministry asks that media should verify the content before publishing.

As for the 1-year training for armed forces personnel at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, it is an existing mechanism of the Ministry of National Defense that selects and sends outstanding officers to train in overseas think tanks; such action is implemented in order to make full use of the research resources from the Ministry of National Defense, hence the training of overseas think tanks is expanded and applied on the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, which has no correlations with the military simulation of the National Political Command Center.

The Ministry of National Defense further explained that outstanding cadet officers who are recommended by various services and selected by the ministry to receiving the 1-year training at the Institute for National Defense and security Research will first obtain the eligibility of teaching and studying at the War College if they have yet to receive the qualification from the War College after they have been approved to have met the training graduation eligibility, however, they are still required to undergo 2 years of on-the-job training to receive the qualification from the War College. This method is recommended and instructed by legislators and has been clarified multiple times at the Legislative Yuan. The Ministry of National Defense hereby asks that the external sectors to refrain from spreading false information.

Institute for National Defense and Security Research is a new think tank that was established this year by the government; its core is to research national security strategies and national defense policy, and has a function of cultivating strategic talents. The Ministry of National Defense believes that the research on policy has begun to take effect, and it will be assisting the ministry on playing the role of external strategic communication; the ministry hereby wishes that the citizens will be providing more support and encouragement towards the think tank.