Transcript
DR. BERNARD COLE: I started this project, which resulted in the book, with the goal of understanding or gaining an understanding of Taiwan's military capabilities. All too often, I think we have focused on the Chinese military capabilities and frankly have tended to exaggerate those capabilities as they have grown over the last decade, certainly perhaps decade and a half.
In looking at the military, obviously you can't just look at the uniformed services. I then spent a good deal of time with the Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan, and I also spent some time with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I have to say that in the book I didn't name any of the interviewees, as I didn't when I wrote my book on the Chinese Navy, to protect the innocent and otherwise. I thought that the Taiwan military officers and civilian officials I interviewed were remarkably forthcoming, and I was particularly impressed with the appreciation and the knowledge and the professionalism of the senior Taiwan military officers with whom I discussed the situation.
I think the starting point in any discussion of the modern Taiwan Military has to be the defense reorganization laws passed in 2000 or which became effective shortly thereafter. These laws carry with them the goal of an all-volunteer military. It was the end of conscription in Taiwan and the civilianization of the defense structure, that is, the administration part of it; the de-politicization of the Taiwan Military and the civilian defense structure.
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