台湾、初の女性予備役訓練を開始

【桃園ＡＦＰ＝時事】台湾・桃園で９日、退役した女性兵士１４人を対象とした５日間の予備役訓練が始まった。女性予備役の訓練が行われるのは初めて。台湾は対中国の防衛能力強化を進めている。（写真は台湾・桃園で行われる女性予備役の軍事訓練）
　台湾の国防部（国防省）は１月、戦力増強の一環として、２００人以上の退役女性兵について志願制の予備役に登録することを初めて認めると発表した。
　台湾では現在、男性のみに兵役や軍事訓練の義務があるが、女性も志願すれば入隊できる。
　軍事アナリストは台湾政府に対し、女性への訓練拡充などを通じて予備役を増やし、中国による侵攻に対する民間人の備えを進めるよう促している。
　一部の議員からは、女性にも何らかの形で兵役義務を課すべきだとの提案も出ている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/05/10-16:28）

Strapped with gas masks, soldiers crouched on a playground Tuesday with rifles aimed at their target during Taiwan's first-ever reservist training for women as the island bolsters its defences against China.
Beijing -- which claims Taiwan as its territory to be taken one day -- has conducted multiple military exercises around self-ruled Taiwan in the past year.
Taipei's defence ministry announced in January that it would allow more than 200 women to join voluntary reservist training for the first time as part of efforts to bolster its forces.
You may not see any 'Rambos' here, ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang told reporters on Tuesday, after 14 former women soldiers took part in the five-day training programme in Taoyuan city.
But what you will see are our male and also first batch of female reservist soldiers who are willing to use their time to return to the barracks for training, he said.
I think this is very important in ensuring our country's safety and demonstrating the people's resolve in protecting our country.
Taiwanese men are required to do mandatory military service and reservist training, but women can also volunteer to serve in the armed forces.
On Tuesday the former women soldiers pulled gas masks over the heads, crawled across a playground, patrolled streets by a temple and performed other mock defence exercises.
Poisonous gas dissipated, clear to take off masks! one of their officers yelled before they quickly removed their gear.
Reservist Tang Mi -- who is a realtor -- said that with no country, there's no home.
That's why I'm here -- because what concerns the country is everyone's business, the 26-year-old said.
Military analysts have urged Taiwan to do more to boost its reservists and prepare the civilian population for a potential invasion, including by allowing more women to train.
Some lawmakers have proposed including women in some form of mandatory service.
Tensions between Taipei and Beijing soared last year after China staged massive military exercises around the island in response to then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.
Last month, Beijing conducted war games simulating a blockade of the island in protest against a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Pelosi's successor Kevin McCarthy in California.