Taiwan drills for full-scale Chinese invasion as tensions soar
Taiwanese military (Photo: Getty Images)
Taiwan is preparing for various crisis scenarios amid increasing pressure from China, according to Reuters.
Taiwan is preparing for the worst-case scenario
The Taiwanese authorities conducted large-scale civil resilience exercises based on one of the most difficult scenarios for the development of events.
According to the scenario, China simultaneously organized a naval blockade of the island, used a devastating earthquake to intensify chaos, attacked infrastructure, seized television broadcasting, provoked mass bank withdrawals and public unrest, and then launched a full-scale invasion.
More than 370 representatives of the central government, local administrations, and military command took part in the drills.
The exercises were held in Nantou County and were part of President Lai Ching-te's initiative to strengthen the island's preparedness for a potential military conflict.
According to Chi Lien-cheng, previous drills were often criticized for being overly formal, so the authorities made a concerted effort to make this year's exercises as realistic as possible.
"Our adversary is right on our doorstep, just across the Taiwan Strait. That is very close," Chi Lien-cheng stressed.
He noted that Taiwan's civil defense system still requires further improvement, but the primary goal of the exercises was to test the ability of local authorities to make decisions under crisis conditions.
"If you don't defend your own country, who else will defend you? I think people are beginning to understand that," Chi Lien-cheng said.
Drills covered more than just warfare
The exercises simulated drone attacks on energy infrastructure, large-scale cyberattacks, the spread of disinformation, disruptions to government services, and civilian evacuations.
At the same time, the authorities were required to respond to the aftermath of a major earthquake and coordinate emergency response efforts.
As the drills concluded, Taiwan reported that China had once again conducted military patrols around the island involving naval vessels and at least 22 aircraft, including H-6 strategic bombers.
Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated Beijing's commitment to unification with Taiwan, stating that the country's leadership intends to achieve the complete reunification of the motherland.
