Key facts
- Taiwan conducted a large-scale resilience exercise simulating a multi-faceted crisis including a Chinese blockade, earthquake, sabotage, and invasion.
- The drill involved over 370 government and military officials in Nantou county.
- Key elements included civil-military integration, disaster relief, and countering information warfare.
- Scenarios tested responses to drone attacks, infrastructure sabotage, and public unrest.
- The exercise aimed to enhance Taiwan's war preparedness amid increasing Chinese military pressure.
Taiwan conducted a comprehensive two-day resilience exercise in Nantou county, simulating a severe crisis scenario that included a Chinese blockade, a strong earthquake, hijacked television broadcasts, sabotaged infrastructure, bank runs, civil unrest, and a full-scale invasion. The drill, part of President Lai Ching-te's initiative to bolster the island's war preparedness amid escalating Chinese military pressure, involved over 370 government and military officials.
Rare exclusive access was granted to Reuters for the closed-door drill, which aimed to test the ability of officials to maintain county functions under attack and improve civil-military integration. Chi Lien-cheng, the minister overseeing the exercise, emphasized the proximity of the adversary and the necessity for self-defense, while acknowledging existing shortcomings and resource limitations.
The exercise began with a tabletop simulation followed by field drills, including responding to a magnitude 6.8 earthquake scenario that killed 12 fictional people, and practicing shooting down a Chinese drone threatening a power plant. Officials also focused on deeper civil-military integration, with military reserve commands coordinating directly with local governments, as highlighted by Lin Fei-fan, deputy secretary-general of Taiwan's National Security Council.
Lessons from recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East were incorporated, making the tests more realistic for emergency responders and infrastructure operators. This included underground hospital operations and simulated cyberattacks by professional hackers on government networks. One scenario involved a drone attack on the response center, leaving the fate of 75 officials unknown and testing backup operations plans. A military official, speaking anonymously, stressed the importance of peacetime preparation for wartime realities.
The drill also focused on countering information warfare, with scenarios including hijacked television broadcasts featuring Beijing propaganda and the appearance of misinformation flyers. Officials practiced identifying and responding to disinformation through mock press conferences. Lee I-yuan, a borough chief, noted the drill's effectiveness in teaching how to distinguish real information from fake, especially with the anticipated use of AI in spreading false narratives.
As the drill concluded, Taiwan reported that China had conducted a joint combat readiness patrol around the island with warships and 22 military aircraft. China's Taiwan Affairs Office accused President Lai of escalating tensions and being a "destroyer of cross-strait peace."