Taiwan is widening the pool of troops who get extra combat pay, good news for soldiers in logistics, medical, and military police roles who were previously left out.

• President Lai Ching-te announced a new third category of combat unit pay worth NT$4,000 a month, backdated to July 1.
• It covers fuel and ammunition supply, battlefield medical care, equipment transport, chemical and engineering troops, weapons repair, combat training, and psychological warfare units.
• Military police and regional defense units guarding key political, economic, and infrastructure sites are also included.
• The Defense Ministry rewrote its definition of "combat unit" to reflect joint warfare, where support troops keep the fight going rather than just frontline shooters.
• Battalion and brigade headquarters above companies already drawing first- or second-tier pay now qualify too.

Outlook: The pay bump is part of a broader push to hold onto military personnel as Taiwan builds up its defenses against pressure from China.