Taiwan military gains 5,000 volunteers, but ‘real problem’ is retention

Taiwan’s volunteer force has recorded an unexpected increase of more than 5,000 personnel over the past year despite the island’s worsening demographic decline.

However, lawmakers and military analysts say the growth is driven more by government pay rises than by any apparent shift in young people’s attitudes towards military service.

The figures, released by the defence ministry this week, brought rare good news to an armed force grappling with chronic manpower shortages. But critics warned...