Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Taiwan military drills clear streets, slow internet in Taipei
Taiwan is an island that does big practice drills every year in case another country attacks it.
The drills are called Hang Kuang war games and they last for ten days.
During the drills, loud air raid sirens ring and people go inside buildings to stay safe.
Police help everyone get off the streets, and buses and cars pull over to the side of the road.
The government made mobile phone internet very slow for 30 minutes on purpose, so people could practice living with limited internet during an emergency.
Taiwan's leader, Lai Ching-te, visited a hospital basement that was turned into an emergency room and a supermarket to see how supplies would be handed out.
Important visitors from the United States, Israel and Canada came with him to learn about Taiwan's emergency plans.
The navy and coast guard practiced protecting a pretend merchant ship and guiding it safely to port.
Taiwan does these drills because it worries another country might try to stop ships and supplies from reaching the island.
It is like a very big fire drill for the whole island.
Taiwan held annual air raid drills in Taipei on Thursday, with sirens sounding and streets cleared as police moved people indoors.
Mobile internet speeds were deliberately throttled for 30 minutes to simulate a Chinese attack, while fixed-line internet and Wi-Fi were unaffected.
Taiwan's first-ever mobile internet throttling exercise took place in central Taiwan on Monday and was repeated in the north on Thursday.
President Lai Ching-te, joined by the de facto U.S., Israeli and Canadian ambassadors, visited an emergency ward in a hospital car park and a supermarket in New Taipei.
On Wednesday, Taiwan's navy and coast guard carried out their first anti-blockade drill, escorting a simulated merchant ship to east coast ports.
- Who
- Taiwan's military and government, led by President Lai Ching-te, along with diplomats including the de facto U.S., Israeli and Canadian ambassadors.
- What
- Annual air raid and civil defence drills, including deliberate mobile internet throttling and a first-time anti-blockade naval drill.
- When
- Thursday, Aug 13, during Taiwan's 10-day annual Hang Kuang war games; related exercises took place on Monday and Wednesday.
- Where
- Taipei and New Taipei in Taiwan, with an earlier throttling exercise in central Taiwan and the naval drill off Taiwan's east coast.
- Why
- To practise responding to a potential Chinese invasion or blockade, as China views Taiwan as its own territory while Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.
Taiwan's stance
China's stance
Sovereignty over Taiwan
Taiwan's stance
Taiwan's democratically elected government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims and says it is not facing regional geopolitical changes alone but with the shared concern and joint efforts of the international community.
China's stance
China views Taiwan as its own territory and holds patrols off the island's coast.
Patrols off Taiwan's east coast
Taiwan's stance
The patrols have angered Taipei and prompted concern in Washington and some other Western capitals.
China's stance
Beijing describes the activities as 'law enforcement' patrols off Taiwan's east coast.
- Event
- Annual Hang Kuang war games with civil defence drills
- Duration
- 10 days
- Air raid drill duration
- 30 minutes
- Internet affected
- Mobile internet throttled; fixed-line internet and Wi-Fi unaffected
- Anti-blockade drill
- First time Taiwan's navy and coast guard held one jointly
- Diplomats present
- De facto U.S., Israeli and Canadian ambassadors
- China patrols
- China began 'law enforcement' patrols off Taiwan's east coast in June