A former Navy officer recently took to social media to accuse his supervisors of bullying. The video went viral, but the military denies the allegations.
00:00After more than a decade of service, former Navy Petty Officer Ben Xi says he's left the military
00:09because of alleged bullying by his superiors. His video detailing the experience has gone viral,
00:16racking up over 5 million views in just two days. Xi has more than 160,000 followers on Instagram,
00:24where he often shares glimpses of his daily life, from his marriage and home purchases
00:29to restaurant visits. He was asked to promote the military's recruitment campaign using his
00:35personal social media account. He says he received top performance evaluations and exceeded his
00:41recruitment targets. He now accuses the military of unfairly labeling his posts as damaging the
00:48military's reputation, and says his complaints were often ignored.
00:51In one review meeting, Xi says he was insinuated to be a Chinese communist sympathizer simply because
01:03his wedding photographer was suspected to be from China, an allegation he says was made without any
01:09supporting evidence. In response, the defense ministry says it has provided official explanations
01:15and says Xi's allegations don't align with the facts. The ministry says the Navy reserves the right to
01:22take legal action if necessary. Due to the military's rigid hierarchy and discipline-driven culture,
01:29bullying has long been a recurring issue in Taiwan's military. A former major general says because the
01:35military emphasizes discipline and the collective interest, individual rights are often compromised in
01:40the name of serving the greater good.
01:42There have been several high-profile military bullying cases in recent years.
02:11In 2024, the family of a 23-year-old soldier accused military superiors of severe bullying, claiming it led to cognitive decline and left the soldier with the mental capacity of a 2-year-old.
02:25In another case from 2020, a lieutenant took his own life after allegedly enduring prolonged bullying from his superiors and peers.
02:32Both incidents drew national attention, though neither matched the scale of public outcry seen in the 2013 death of Hong Zhongqiu.
02:42At the time, conscripted soldier Hong Zhongqiu died of heat stroke while being improperly confined in a military detention facility.
02:51The incident sparked widespread public outrage over human rights in the military and deepened public mistrust towards Taiwan armed forces.
02:58To address the problem, Guo says there are three aspects to focus on.
03:09Fostering better education, senior officers setting the right example, and bringing in management culture from civilian workplaces.
03:17As Taiwan places more emphasis on improving its military,
03:44All eyes are on whether it can deliver real change and rebuild public trust.
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