Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19-40 years of age for military service (being lowered to 35 years
of age in July 2005); service obligation 22 months (being shortened
to 18 months in July 2005 and 12 months in 2008) (January 2005)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,556,484 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,992,737 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 182,677 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7,611.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.7% (2003)
Transnational Issues Taiwan
Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines,
Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are
occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China
and Taiwan asserted claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku
Islands (Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest
actions
Illicit drugs:
regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major
problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;
renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005