TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) on Wednesday criticized a proposal from the KMT to raise military pay, arguing it infringes on government authority.
KMT Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) introduced the proposal on March 3, calling for increased compensation for both volunteer and conscript soldiers, per Storm Media. She argued that low salaries, coupled with rising cross-strait tensions, have worsened recruitment challenges.
Hsu said the government should prioritize improving military compensation before investing further in defense procurement. In response, Defense Ministry Spokesperson Lieutenant General Sun Li-fang (孫立方) said that changes to the government budget must first be coordinated with the executive branch.
Koo warned that legislative attempts to dictate specific pay increases for military personnel violate the executive's budgeting authority, per Tai Sounds. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced on March 21 that troops below the rank of major would receive a pay raise, a move Hsu criticized as insufficient, per PNN.
TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) voiced support for Hsu’s proposal on Friday, echoing her concerns about inadequate compensation as a factor in declining enlistment, per UDN. Huang claimed Hsu’s initiative helped prompt the recent pay increase and backed raising defense spending to 3% of GDP. He also alleged that Chinese-made equipment had been discovered at some Taiwanese military bases.
Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said on April 5 that narrowing the wage gap between the military and civilian sectors helps curb attrition in combat roles, per RTI. He also warned that Taiwan’s declining birth rate presents broader challenges for workforce sustainability.
The Association of Strategic Foresight researcher Chieh Chung (揭仲) argued that better compensation for combat troops would help steer recruits away from logistics roles. He noted that heavy workloads are prompting many lower-ranking personnel to leave the military.
Citing recent equipment upgrades and reserve force expansion, Chieh warned that overstretching active-duty troops could erode Taiwan’s overall combat readiness. He said prioritizing reserve growth at the expense of standing force preparedness weakens national defense.
Meanwhile, sources within the military cautioned on April 7 that inadequate pay for senior officers may discourage promotions, per UDN. For example, lieutenants could lose up to NT$12,000 (US$396) monthly if promoted to major and reassigned to non-combat roles.
Former Army Deputy Commander and former KMT Legislator Wu Sz-huai (吳斯懷) said that senior personnel should receive higher pay to ensure competent individuals pursue leadership positions. He advocated for bonuses tied to specialized duties rather than separating compensation strictly by combat roles.
