Taipei, March 1 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian presided over a ceremony marking the operation of a restructured and strengthened Ministry of National Defense (MND) Friday, saying the restructuring is a landmark milestone in the Republic of China's military history. "The MND restructuring is a crucial step in our country's military build-up and defense system modernization," Chen said at the ceremony, which was witnessed by Premier Yu Shyi-kun and many other incumbent and former military officials as well as legislators of different political stripes.
Noting that the restructuring was mandated by the defense law and the organization law of the MND passed two years ago, Chen said it would usher in a new era in the ROC's military command and administration systems.
The restructuring would also be conducive to substantiating the goal of "military nationalization," Chen said.
Under the two defense laws and the general staff headquarters organization act, all of which took effect Friday, the MND unifies the originally separated military command and administrative systems led by the chief of the general staff and defense minister, respectively.
As a result of restructuring, the defense minister is now the most powerful figure in the military, while the chief of the general staff is downgraded as the minister's chief of staff. Meanwhile, most units under the military's original command system will from now on be put under the jurisdiction of the MND. All these new MND units will carry new titles to reflect their status under the ministry. The headquarters of the three services, for instance, will have the term "under the MND" added to their designations.
President Chen said he hopes that the MND will take advantage of the restructuring to carry out clear-cut division of labor based on professionalism, enhance transparency, accountability and operational efficiency, improve military command mechanisms, strengthen command and control functions, renovate military equipment, develop new defense strategy and technology, upgrade combat capabilities and forge a nimble, flexible and efficient system to cope with any contingency or emergency situation.
On the MND's future work, Chen also outlined five guidelines--hammering out forward-looking strategic thinking to boost military reform; developing a mutual trust mechanism with mainland China to ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait; continuing troops reduction with the goal of establishing an elite deterrent force; developing new defense technology and weaponry systems; improving welfare services to all officers and men.