Taiwan’s Presidential Office holds first tabletop drills in case of Chinese invasion – Reuters

Taiwan’s presidential office conducted its first-ever “tabletop” exercises involving government agencies without military participation. The goal was to simulate a military escalation with China amid fresh threats from Beijing, reports Reuters.

According to anonymous sources from the agency, the three-hour drills involved dozens of central and local government bodies, as well as public organizations. The exercises were led by Vice President Lai Ching-te and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu.

The training was part of Taiwan’s ongoing efforts to build the capacity of government institutions and civil society to manage emergencies, ranging from natural disasters to military conflicts.

A security official familiar with the situation stated that the exercises simulated scenarios, including high-intensity conflict in the gray zone with China and a situation where the island is on the brink of conflict. The readiness of Taiwan’s government agencies and civil society to respond was tested.

During a media briefing at the presidential office late Thursday, Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang announced that the government plans to prepare over 50,000 volunteers across the island next year. Their task will be to respond to emergencies, including providing first aid.

According to Liu, the Taiwanese government aims to involve sectors such as taxi drivers and security guards in these efforts to ease the burden on government agencies during emergencies. She also noted that various government bodies have been asked to create backup systems and develop rapid recovery plans in case of disruptions.

President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan is racing against time to enhance its disaster response capabilities and strengthen deterrence against enemy forces in the event of an invasion.

“The peace and stability in the first island chain is being collectively challenged by authoritarian states,” Lai said without specifying the country.

The first island chain refers to a group of archipelagos stretching from Indonesia in a north-eastern arc to Japan, encompassing the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

History of Taiwan-China confrontation

After their defeat in the civil war against the communists in the late 1940s, Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek and his supporters fled to Taiwan.

The Kuomintang relocated the government of the Republic of China from the mainland to Taipei. Since then, Taiwan has become an independent country, though it nominally laid claim to the territory of mainland China, where the communist People’s Republic of China (PRC) was established.

Since the 1980s, Taiwan has gradually transitioned to a democratic system with free elections and guarantees of human rights. The majority of the island’s residents consider themselves indigenous Taiwanese and do not wish to become part of communist China.

In January 2024, Lai Ching-te, Vice President of the Democratic Progressive Party, won the presidential election. He announced a course toward further strengthening Taiwan’s ties with the United States and Western countries.

Risk of China’s invasion into Taiwan

Recently, China has intensified training of its naval forces in the waters of the region, seeking to exert pressure on Taipei.

Chinese President Xi Jinping considers Taiwan an inseparable part of China and has declared his intent to reunite the island with China. He is the most aggressive in attempting to conquer and annex Taiwan by military means.

Lai Ching-te stated that China views the annexation and elimination of Taiwan as a major national priority.