How Taiwan’s military manpower shortage is undermining its ability to fight
Por Lawrence Chung — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Taiwan China Military How Taiwan’s military manpower shortage is undermining its ability to fight
Concerns are mounting over its ability to recruit elite troops and whether it will be able to operate its new US equipment
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Lawrence Chung in Taipei Published: 6:00pm, 11 Oct 2026
Taiwan’s military is grappling with a worsening manpower shortage, with its volunteer staffing rate remaining below the 80 per cent target for a third consecutive year and concerns mounting over the impact on combat readiness, according to the island’s legislature.
The shortages extend deep into frontline formations – including infantry, artillery, missile and air defence units – raising questions over whether Taiwan will have enough trained personnel to operate and maintain the vast quantities of new weapons entering service, observers said.
A Legislative Yuan Budget Centre assessment of the government’s proposed 2027 budget warned this week that persistent personnel shortages could increase workloads and training demands on serving troops while affecting readiness.
Defence ministry figures cited by the centre showed that the number of staff positions successfully filled by volunteers peaked at 88.52 per cent in 2020 before falling below 80 per cent in 2023. It dropped to 75.93 per cent in 2024 and stood at 77.31 per cent at the end of last year.
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