Taiwan war games simulate Chinese attack and internet disruption
Taiwan is using its largest annual military exercise to test how the island would respond to a potential Chinese attack, with this year’s drills extending beyond military preparations to include civilian communications.
The 10-day Han Kuang exercise began last week and includes scenarios designed around a possible attempt by China to seize control of Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory, while Taiwan’s government rejects that claim and says its future can only be decided by its people.
One of the exercises took place on Monday in the Penghu Islands, a strategically important group in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwanese forces practised responding to a simulated attempt to establish a landing on the islands, with reservists also taking part as part of their regular training.
Penghu is considered significant to Taiwan’s defence planning because of its location between the Chinese coast and Taiwan’s main island. Taiwanese strategists have long regarded the islands as a potential target in a wider conflict.
Mobile internet slowdown tests civilian preparedness
For the first time, Taiwan is also deliberately reducing mobile internet speeds during the civil defence portion of Han Kuang.
The measure is intended to test how communications would function if mobile networks became congested or disrupted during a major emergency. The exercise is designed to cover scenarios ranging from natural disasters to a military crisis.
Authorities have said essential services, including emergency ambulance calls, traffic signals and ATMs, will continue operating. Fixed internet connections and landlines will also remain unaffected.
The government notified residents about the planned disruption through a nationwide text message sent in Chinese and English, alongside public information released on social media. Northern Taiwan, including Taipei, is scheduled to conduct the same exercise later this week.
The move reflects a broader effort by Taiwan to incorporate civilian preparedness into its response planning. Rather than treating a potential crisis solely as a military matter, officials are also examining how ordinary services could function if communications infrastructure came under severe pressure.
Taiwan expands focus on resilience
The latest drills follow a series of exercises aimed at preparing Taiwan’s population for emergencies. Previous civil defence exercises have involved residents practising evacuations and taking shelter, while authorities have also tested the readiness of public infrastructure.
CNN reported earlier this month that Taiwan’s government was placing greater emphasis on preparing the public for a potential conflict, with President Lai Ching-te taking part in a presidential office drill designed to rehearse how the country’s leadership would operate during a crisis.
The exercises come as Beijing continues to reject Taiwan’s self-government and maintains that unification must eventually take place. Taiwan’s government, meanwhile, has repeatedly called for the status quo to be maintained and for disagreements across the Taiwan Strait to be resolved without coercion.
