TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said the Army will eliminate bayonet training and goose-step marching as they are not useful for modern, close-quarters combat.
Koo made his first appearance as defense minister at the Foreign and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan on Thursday (June 6) to present his first report and field questions.
Koo said the military should return to “combat training duties,” while "formalism," including traditional bayonet training and goose-stepping are ineffective for modern close-quarters combat and would be discontinued, reported Liberty Times.
During the Taiwan Military Academy's centennial celebration of Whampoa Military Academy this year, active-duty units practiced goose-stepping for the event. It was reported that Koo, upon taking office, immediately ordered its cancellation.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) questioned Koo about the Ministry of National Defense's (MND's) policy on canceling goose-stepping. Koo explained that six combined arms brigades had planned to send one company each to participate in the centennial celebration and perform a goose-stepping march.
However, he believed it was necessary to return to the basics of combat training, so this was canceled. Thus, "the centennial celebration will primarily feature students," and the combined arms brigades will not participate in the goose-stepping, said Koo.
As for the students, since they had already been practicing goose-stepping for several months, they would follow the previous decision made by former Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正). "This part will not be canceled, but it has been requested that future celebrations focus on 'quick march' instead of goose-stepping."
Shen also questioned whether the traditional bayonet training, often criticized for not meeting modern combat needs, would be adjusted. Koo responded that the MND is planning basic training in "close-quarters combat," so any training not fitting this concept, including traditional bayonet thrusting, will be discontinued.