China’s bullying of Taiwan “is becoming more apparent,” Cai said at a news conference.
“No one wants war, (..) but, my dear fellow citizens, peace will not fall from the sky”, said the president.
Thus, the time of military service will be extended, he said.
The changes will take effect from 2024.
Taiwan’s previous government cut the length of service from one year to four months, with plans to switch to a mostly volunteer army.
However, recent opinion polls show that three-quarters of Taiwanese believe the service time is too short.
Adult men are subject to compulsory military service.
Taiwan has stepped up training for reservists and increased purchases of warplanes and anti-ship missiles in an effort to bolster defenses. However, experts point out that this alone is not enough.
