I’ll believe it when it happens. The ruling party came to power in large part owing to their promises to end conscription. And their voting base is skewed toward younger people, including young men who are eligible for military service but detest having to serve.

So it’s in their interest to talk a good game to the foreign media, bragging about how they’re gonna toughen up Taiwan’s military service, while in actuality hollowing it out as much as possible to appeal to voters.