In December 2022, which of the following countries extended mandatory military service to one year for males born on or after 1 January 2005?
- (a)Myanmar
- (b)Taiwan
- (c)Sri Lanka
- (d)Afghanistan
Correct — B, Taiwan. In late December 2022, Taiwan's government, under President Tsai Ing-wen, announced that compulsory military service would be extended from four months back to a full one year, to take effect from 2024, applying to male citizens born on or after 1 January 2005. The decision was driven by growing security concerns over China's military pressure across the Taiwan Strait.
- (a)Myanmar — Myanmar did not extend conscription in December 2022; its military junta only activated a mandatory People's Military Service Law in early 2024 — a separate measure, and not the event described here.
- (c)Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka has no compulsory military conscription; service in its armed forces is voluntary, so it announced no such one-year extension.
- (d)Afghanistan — Afghanistan (under Taliban control from 2021) announced no formal one-year conscription for males born after 1 January 2005; it is not the country in question.
In December 2022, amid heightened tensions with mainland China, Taiwan (the Republic of China) decided to lengthen compulsory military service for young men from four months to one year, effective 2024, covering males born on or after 1 January 2005. The move aimed to strengthen Taiwan's defence readiness against a possible Chinese offensive.
This is a current-affairs item anchored to December 2022. The reasoning cue is 'cross-strait security': the only listed country with an active conscription system tied to a China threat is Taiwan. Do not confuse it with Myanmar's unrelated conscription law activated in 2024.
- Taiwan extended compulsory military service from 4 months to 1 year (announced December 2022; effective 2024).
- It applies to male citizens born on or after 1 January 2005.
- Announced under President Tsai Ing-wen, citing the military threat from China.
- Taiwan is separated from mainland China by the Taiwan Strait and is claimed by the People's Republic of China.
- Confusing this with Myanmar's separate 2024 conscription law
- Assuming a South Asian country (Sri Lanka/Afghanistan) because they appear as options
As current-affairs 'which country' questions; anchor late-2022 defence developments — Taiwan's conscription extension — to the China-threat context.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Taiwan's December 2022 decision to extend military service to one year was primarily a response to tensions with:
- (a)Japan
- (b)China
- (c)North Korea
- (d)the Philippines
Answer(b) China — cross-strait military pressure.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Taiwan is separated from mainland China by which water body?
- (a)Taiwan Strait
- (b)Bohai Sea
- (c)Luzon Strait
- (d)Yellow Sea
Answer(a) Taiwan Strait.