Taiwan’s defense minister to cut ceremonial drills

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a significant shift from tradition, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) announced on Thursday (June 6) plans to abolish certain military practices deemed too ceremonial, such as bayonet training (刺槍突刺) and goose-stepping (踢正步). Speaking at the Legislative Yuan's (立法院) Foreign and National Defense Committee (外交及國防委員會), Koo emphasized the need to focus on combat training and readiness over formality.

Streamlining Military Traditions

Koo decided to eliminate outdated practices and prioritize practical combat training. The decision comes as the Republic of China (R.O.C.) Military Academy (陸軍官校) celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Whampoa Military Academy (黃埔百年校慶), where active troops were initially expected to participate in goose-stepping. Koo, however, has decided to limit the participation to students, allowing the military to focus on core combat training.

Maintaining a Balance

Koo has chosen not to cancel the goose-stepping for students who had already been practicing for months, adhering to a decision made by former Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正). However, he stipulated that future academy celebrations should prioritize marching in step without goose-stepping.

Koo's approach reflects a philosophy of 'subtractive thinking,' aiming to cut down on formalism and concentrate on enhancing the military's combat readiness and training. He believes the main focus should always return to combat training, emphasizing practicality in military training and operations.

Koo's reforms signal a modernization of Taiwan's military practices, focusing on efficiency and practical combat readiness over traditional ceremonial drills. This move is expected to enhance the operational capabilities of Taiwan's armed forces, aligning training more closely with real-world combat scenarios.