But Beijing’s slashing has grown more intense under President Xi Jinping, China’s most authoritarian leader in a generation.
And Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed the deadly risks of verbal threats from an overbearing neighboring giant becoming real.
As a result, President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration is exploring the possibility of reinstating stricter military service.
It is not yet clear when a decision could be made, but polls show that more than three-quarters of the Taiwanese public now think the length of service is too short.
Taiwan remains massively outmatched by China, with 88,000 ground forces compared to China’s one million, according to Pentagon estimates.
But the mountainous island would still present a formidable challenge.
Taipei has stepped up training for reservists and increased purchases of jets and anti-ship missiles. But experts say that’s not enough.
“I really think four months is too short,” said Joseph Hwang, an associate professor at Taiwan’s National Defense University.
“Taiwan has no requirements for voluntary military service.”
Peter Yang, an engineer who plays war games in his spare time, recalls that much of his mandatory military service was mostly “spent doing paperwork”.
“There wasn’t a lot of time spent in training, just basic physical training and shooting drills,” the 24-year-old told AFP.
“Our job is really to die on the battlefield… so we just need to know how to shoot a gun,” he said, adding that reservists were only given 12 bullets for each shooting practice .
Last month, former US Army chief Mark Esper called on Taiwan to triple its compulsory service to one year and expand its registration to include women.
“DANCE, DRINK, EXERCISE”
American and Taiwanese strategists pushed Taipei to adopt a “porcupine” strategy of asymmetric warfare modeled on Ukraine to defend against a Chinese invasion.
But the people of Taiwan are not ready for the fierce resistance seen on the streets of Ukrainian cities, said retired Air Force Colonel Richard Chou, who served for 21 years.
“Taiwan’s military readiness, from my point of view, is not enough,” the 52-year-old said, adding that he would gladly serve if called up.
“It’s not just about one person holding a gun. They also have to learn how to handle situations together as a group through practice – only then will they have hope to resist the future.”
To show how insensitive the Taiwanese are to the threat, 75-year-old veteran Jasper Lee points to a park in central Taipei.
“They just did the drill around the island of Taiwan and people are like that – dancing, drinking, exercising,” he said.
But under stoicism, fears of China linger for many.
John Chen, a 26-year-old reservist, said the drills increased his anxiety, likening Beijing to a stalker.
“This person really likes you, but he keeps saying you belong to him…he knows where you go to work every day and follows you home after work. That’s the situation he’s in. Taiwan,” he said.
“I worry about whether my country will continue to exist.”