After taking part in celebrations marking the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Whampoa Military Academy, President Ma Ying-jeou attended a joint graduation ceremony of the Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, National Defense University (NDU) Fu Hsing Kang College, NDU Management College, NDU Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, and National Defense Medical Center. The president handed out diplomas to the cadets and conferred ranks to valedictorians before having lunch with the graduates and their families.
In remarks, President Ma stated that this was the seventh time he had come to the ROC Military Academy to attend the joint graduation ceremonies for the cadets. First, the president thanked members of the foreign diplomatic corps stationed in the ROC for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend the activities, and expressed gratitude to the instructors at the military academies for their selfless dedication to instilling knowledge and skills in their students, and for helping to cultivate military leaders who are well-versed in both the humanities and military matters. In addition, he also expressed appreciation and admiration to the parents of the graduating cadets for the longstanding support they have provided to their children and for encouraging their children to accept strict training, thus enabling them to formally become officers in the ROC military.
President Ma also expressed five hopes with respect to the graduating cadets, namely that they will stay abreast of international affairs and cross-strait relations; that they will embody professional military ethics; that they will carry forward the spirit of the Whampoa Academy; that they will promote a volunteer military; and that they will demonstrate their determination to defend the nation. Commenting on the complexity of global security issues, he pointed out that the United States and the European Union are at odds with Russia over the situation in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the sovereignty dispute over the Spratly Islands, which belong to the ROC, is heating up, and indirectly caused the recent anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam, which impacted many Taiwan businesses located there. All of these complicated situations point to the security challenges being faced by the ROC externally, the president remarked.
President Ma stated that in the six years since he took office, the ROC government has consistently sought, under the framework of the ROC Constitution, to maintain the status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote peaceful cross-strait ties under the "1992 Consensus," whereby each side acknowledges the existence of "one China" but maintains its own interpretation of what that means. This, he said, has enabled the Taiwan Strait to become a symbol of peace and prosperity. In addition, in the face of the latest developments and challenges in the Taiwan Strait, the government, in order to prevent war, defend freedom and democracy, and promote peace, still needs to maintain a strong military force so that it can pursue peace in the Taiwan Strait free of concerns about national security, he commented. Moreover, the government also calls on all parties involved to resolve disputes by peaceful means under the principles of "safeguarding sovereignty, shelving disputes, pursuing peace and reciprocity, and promoting joint exploration and development."
President Ma stressed that the ranks he was conferring to the graduating cadets were not only an honor, but also a responsibility, and he encouraged them to fulfill their duties, give their all, and use what they have learned at their academies to contribute to the nation and society. This, he said, will enable them to become officers in the ROC military who are both well-versed in the humanities and military matters.
The president stated that ever since the establishment of the Whampoa Academy in 1924, the nation's military has upheld the spirit of "sacrifice, solidarity, and responsibility." One generation after another of brave and strong cadets have earned honor and glory for the ROC, he said.
In discussing the volunteer military, the president stated that the implementation of this system will mark a major change in the nation's conscription system. In an effort to achieve the policy objective of having a volunteer military by 2016, the Executive Yuan has already begun actively coordinating with related ministries and agencies on a plan that addresses "salaries, respect, and opportunities" for those who voluntarily join the military, while at the same time recruiting new soldiers and working to keep existing ones on the military's rolls. President Ma stated that starting on January 1 of this year, the government not only broadly increased allowances to volunteer enlisted soldiers and officers, but also is upping allowances to individuals who are stationed in remote and special areas as well as foreign countries. The president noted the government is also working on promoting "people-focused management," "improved living facilities," "renovation of dormitories," and "encouraging members of the military to further their studies in their free time." As of the end of May, he said, the number of individuals voluntarily enlisting to serve in the military has reached over 15,000, which is already 43% over the target for the entire year. In addition, the number of soldiers who have volunteered to continue to serve after their period of service ends has reached 50%, the president explained. This is a rise of eight percentage points from the average in previous years, he said, adding that this points to the substantive effect of the measures implemented by the government.
President Ma remarked that the nation's military in recent years has made breakthroughs in critical technology and the development of weapons. At the same time, the military has assembled a new generation of troops and acquired advanced weaponry, and some of this new equipment is being introduced into the military theater, he said. The Han Kuang military exercises, the president mentioned, have exhibited an effective upgrade in the military's capabilities as a result, he remarked. In addition, he commented, success has also been seen in the physical training for soldiers and officers, discipline within the military, and improvement in ethics and protection of the rights of officers and soldiers. President Ma pointed out that the "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China for 2014" report released by US Department of Defense indicates that mainland China's military strength continues to grow. Consequently, the ROC will continue its cooperation with the United States in military affairs in order to ensure a balance of military power in the Taiwan Strait, he said, adding that this will ensure safer and more stable cross-strait interaction.
President Ma commented that in light of the uncertainties associated with the latest state of security affairs and challenges in the Asia-Pacific, the ROC military must work toward the goal of being a national defense force that, while small, is also strong, specialized, and skillful. He said that the principles of "fighting, equipping, organizing, and training" will serve as the guiding philosophy as the ROC carries out the Yong Gu armed forces streamlining program (2015-2019) in an effort to build a sustainable national defense organization. The president also responded to media reports and speculation in various circles that the ROC Marine Corps and Military Police will be dissolved. He stressed that in the future the ROC Marine Corps will still be a force under the ROC Navy and that an appropriate number of marines will be maintained. This force will continue to be responsible for amphibious maneuvers, rapid response, anti-terrorism response, and disaster prevention and relief, he stated. Meanwhile, the Military Police will continue to see their main missions being to accomplish military tasks and engage in special operations, he said. President Ma remarked that there is absolutely nothing to the speculation that these forces will be disbanded.