The Taiwan government will soon begin recruiting eligible conscripts for alternative service in Taiwan’s diplomatic corps assisting with the country’s foreign aid program, according to the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF).

The application for its annual Taiwan Youth Overseas Service program will be available from April 1-30, Stephen Lee (???), deputy secretary-general of the ICDF, told a foreign ministry news briefing Thursday.

A total of 87 diplomatic alternative military servicemen will be recruited for the program this year, Lee said.

While conscripts specializing in areas of agriculture and fisheries, healthcare, economics, trade and communication technology, and foreign languages, are still welcome, the organization is hoping to recruit talents in two new areas, namely, industrial education and industrial management, Lee said.

He added that they were also seeking those with specialized video production skills.

Once they have passed an interview and completed the required training, the conscripts will be sent to countries in Central, South America, Caribbean, Pacific, and African regions to begin a 10-month tour of duty.

The exact countries they will be visiting will be announced later.

Established in 1996 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Taipei-headquartered ICDF is dedicated to sharing Taiwan’s expertise in various fields with diplomatic allies and partner nations.

Although Taiwan has cut its compulsory military service to only four months, many conscripts still choose to enlist in the longer 10-month alternative.

The program, which began in 2001, has had an average acceptance rate of 10-31 percent in the past, and more than 1,500 alternative military servicemen have been dispatched to foreign countries for diplomatic purposes over the last two decades.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, however, Taiwan canceled its 2020 program and only sent 12 conscripts overseas in 2021, according to ICDF.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel