3 weeks ago
Taiwan war games simulate Chinese assault, throttle mobile internet
Taiwan is an island near China.
China says Taiwan belongs to it, but Taiwan says only the island's people can decide their own future.
Every year, Taiwan holds practice drills called the Han Kuang exercise to get ready in case China ever attacks.
This time, soldiers practised stopping enemy troops from landing on the beach at Penghu, a group of islands in the Taiwan Strait.
They used big tanks, cannons and anti-aircraft guns in the dark before sunrise, and local reservists joined in.
Later that day, the government slowed down mobile internet in the city of Taichung as a test.
It wanted to see how people would communicate if internet became scarce during an emergency like a disaster or an attack.
Cash machines, traffic lights and ambulance calls still worked normally.
More practice will happen near the capital, Taipei, on Thursday.
Taiwan's military simulated repelling a Chinese air landing assault on the Penghu Islands on Monday.
The drill is part of the 10-day Han Kuang exercise that kicked off last week.
First Theatre Command troops used M60A3 tanks, artillery and anti-aircraft guns in a 'multi-layered' beach defence, joined by Penghu reservists.
Taiwan throttled mobile internet for the first time during the civil defence drill centred on Taichung, while ATMs, traffic signals, ambulance calls, landlines and fixed internet were unaffected.
The same exercise will take place in northern Taiwan, including Taipei, on Thursday; Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
- Who
- Taiwan's military, including First Theatre Command troops and Penghu reservists; the exercise was observed by Reuters.
- What
- A simulated defence against a Chinese air landing assault on the Penghu Islands, plus a first-time mobile internet throttling drill in central Taiwan.
- Where
- A beach on the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait, and Taichung in central Taiwan; the same exercise is planned for northern Taiwan, including Taipei, on Thursday.
- When
- Monday, Aug 10, during the 10-day Han Kuang exercise that began last week.
- Why
- To rehearse repelling a possible Chinese invasion and to test communication during disruption, since China views Taiwan as its own territory while Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
Taiwan's position
China's position
Sovereignty over Taiwan
Taiwan's position
Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
China's position
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has threatened to seize the island by force.
Key facts
- Exercise
- Han Kuang annual war games (10-day)
- Location
- Penghu Islands and Taichung, Taiwan
- Scenario
- Repelling a simulated Chinese air landing assault
- Equipment used
- M60A3 tanks, artillery, anti-aircraft guns
- New measure
- First-time mobile internet throttling during civil defence drills
- Exempt services
- ATMs, traffic signals, ambulance calls, landlines and fixed internet
- Civil defence drill
- Air raid sirens sounded in Taichung at 2:30pm; streets cleared for 30 minutes
- Coming next
- Same exercise in northern Taiwan, including Taipei, on Thursday
Quotes
Taiwan government official
Representative of Taiwan’s government announcing the mobile internet throttling
“Later on Monday in central Taiwan, the government will deliberately slow mobile internet speeds for the first time during the civil defence part of the drills”
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“Taiwan’s military simulated repelling a Chinese air landing assault on the strategically vital Penghu Islands”
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