The Republic of China Marine Corps (ROCMC; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Hǎijūnlùzhàndùi), also known as the ROC Marine Corps or the ROC Marines and retroactively as the Chinese Marine Corps or the Chinese Marines, but colloquially as the Taiwanese Marine Corps is the amphibious arm of the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) responsible for amphibious warfare, counter-landing and reinforcement of the areas under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China (ROC), including the island of Taiwan, Kinmen, and the Matsu Islands, and defense of ROCN facilities, also functioning as a rapid reaction force and a strategic reserve capable of amphibious assaults.[1]
Established in 1914 on Mainland China, the ROCMC is considered the most selective branch within the ROC Armed Forces. The ROC Marines have gained much publicity for its "Road to Heaven" phase of one of their training courses[2][3] though in actuality, is only the final phase of their 10-week long selection program for their Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit.
The ROC Marine Corps' official motto is (pinyin: Yǒngyuǎn zhōngchéng), the Chinese translation of "Semper Fidelis". The ROC Marines trains with the USMC though these are generally classified, unofficial, or with trainees officially considered by either side as "observers."[4][5][6]
Organization
The Marine Corps Command (海軍陸戰隊指揮部) is subordinate to the Navy GHQ, the General Staff, the Minister of Defense, and the ROC President.
Current organization
Marine Corps Command
Corps HQ Battalion (隊部營)(November 1, 2013, it was cut and reorganized to the Combat Support Group (戰鬥支援大隊))
Battalion HQ company (隊部連)(November 1, 2013, it was cut and reorganized to the Combat Support Group Support Company (戰鬥支援大隊支援中隊))
Health company (衛生連)
honor guard company (儀隊連)
Security Guard company (警衛連)
Shooting training team (射訓隊)
Logistics company (輜汽連)
272nd Company of the Marine Corps Military Police (陸戰憲兵第二七二連)
Military band (軍樂隊)
Amphibious Armor Group (登陸戰車大隊)
4 Amphibious Transport Squadrons (運輸中隊), 24+ tracks per squadron. 1st (AAV-7), 2nd (AAV-7), 3rd (LVT-5), 4th (LVT-5).
1 Special Service Company (特勤中隊) (中華民國海軍陸戰隊特勤隊), the primarily counterterrorism related special unit of the ARP referred to colloquially as "The Black (Outfit) Unit" (黑衣部隊). All candidates who want to undergo their selection program are required to have a minimum five years of military service and some sort of martial arts background.
1 Underwater Demolition Company (爆破中隊)
1 Support Company (支援中隊)
Combat Support Group (戰鬥支援大隊), combined formerly the Beach Logistics Group and the Communications, Information, Electronic Warfare Group, and Corps HQ Battalion[7]
Support Squadron (支援中隊), combined formerly the battalion HQ company (隊部連)
The ROC Marine Corps were awarded the Tiger Banner by Chiang Kai-shek in 1959.President Tsai Ing-wen reviews a Marine Corps battalion in 2020
The ROC Marine Corps were formed from the former Navy Sentry Corps in December 1914.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the ROC Marines saw little in amphibious warfare for the Japanese dominated the seas & thus saw combat in the same form as the regular infantry.
Likewise, during the civil war, the ROC marines were either absorbed as regular infantry units, or played as supporting role. However, in 1947, the ROC Marine Corps was reconstituted & saw action Mawei, Fujian.[9] Since the Chinese Civil War, the ROCMC has participated in several battles (such as the Battle of Dongshan Island and Wanshan Archipelago Campaign), and in humanitarian response efforts, with the 66th Marine Brigade being decorated by President Chiang Kai-shek. Marines were also stationed on Taiping Island in the Spratly Islands, being used to reinforce Taiwanese claims of sovereignty in that region. In 2000 they were replaced there by the Coast Guard Administration.[10] Due to the "Americanization" of the ROC military, and due to the belief that an amphibious infantry force would be the vanguard of a liberation of the Chinese mainland, Taiwan developed a Marine Corps in the 1950s that was separate from the Army or Navy and would spearhead the hypothetical invasion of the mainland.[9]
The Marine Corps used to be 2 divisions, 66th and 99th divisions, in size, when its doctrine focused on retaking mainland China. Since its transition to a defensive posture, the ROCMC has been downsized towards a focus as a small rapid reaction force, a strategic reserve, and has learned skills compatible with guerrilla warfare operations. The Marine Corps is by design trained and equipped for transport by the ROC Navy to conduct amphibious assaults to defend Taiwan's outlying islands and Taiwan's coasts. A plan announced by the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense in August 2000 phased out divisional commands, leading to the replacement of divisions by brigades. Under the plan from the year 2000, the ROCMC was organized into the 66th Brigade in northern Taiwan, the 99th Brigade in southern Taiwan,and the 77th Brigade with its components dispersed throughout Taiwan. Each brigade includes infantry, tank, anti-tank, artillery, support, and air defense units.[10][11] In 2004, the ROCMC redeployed a brigade near the Taipei area to defend against a possible PRCdecapitation strike.[10]
The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou reduced the number of Taiwanese Marines from about 16,000 to 9,000 and considered disbanding the Marine Corps entirely. Because of Taiwan's lack of foreign military contacts, the ROCMC remains a heavily mechanized force that is not very mobile, unlike the United States Marine Corps. Despite this, the Taiwanese Marines are considered to be some of the best ground troops in the Republic of China Armed Forces and have a high level of professionalism. The ROCMC maintains a similar culture to the USMC, including its motto "Forever Loyal" being a translation of Semper Fidelis, and promoting the idea that Marine is a title that is earned for life.[11][12]
Since its formation the ROC Marine Corps has received training from the United States Marine Corps, from 1979 to 2020 that training was conducted secretly however in 2020 the annual month long training exercise held with trainers from the USMC's Marine Raider Regiment was conducted publicly.[13]
^ ab"Lùhǎikōng jūnfú zhì tiáolì fù tú" 陸海空軍服制條例附圖 [Drawings of the Uniform Regulations of the Army, Navy and Air Force] (PDF). Gazette of the Presidential Palace (6769): 65–67. 7 November 1996. Archived from the original(PDF) on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
Republic of China
Lieutenant-General Ma Qun-Chao
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