A new specialized agency under the defense ministry in charge of reservists' mobilization will be launched Thursday as part of Taiwan's ongoing efforts to improve the combat readiness of the country's reserve forces.

The Thursday ceremony to launch the All-out Defense Mobilization Agency (???????) will be presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen (???), according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

The agency is an upgrade of the existing All-out Defense Mobilization Office under the MND headquarters. The newly established agency will also see an increase in its staff members from 30 to 150.

The structural change is part of military reforms designed to make Taiwan's reserve forces a more reliable backup for regular soldiers in defending the nation, according to the MND.

Aside from being responsible for mobilization during wartime, the agency will also be tasked with cross-ministries coordination to boost the capabilities of national reservists in the event of war and in post-disaster relief during peacetime.

Meanwhile, a military source said that Army Lieutenant General Pai Chieh-lung (???), currently in charge of the MND's Department of Resource Planning, will be the first head of the agency.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel