TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部), the island's military authority, reportedly notified local governments across Taiwan on Tuesday to conduct a nationwide simulation of a potential military attack from China. Despite heightened alert levels, defense officials indicated they would maintain normal operational status under next Monday if no significant changes occur in the security environment surrounding the self-governed island.
The simulation exercise comes in direct response to military movements across the Taiwan Strait, where the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command (中共東部戰區) began conducting joint military drills around Taiwan Tuesday morning. Chinese military officials have explicitly emphasized that these exercises are intended to deter what Beijing refers to as "pro-independence forces" on the island that China claims as its territory. According to information released by the PLA, key components of their drills include enhancing sea and air combat readiness, demonstrating comprehensive control capabilities, and practicing strategic area lockdowns that could potentially isolate Taiwan in a conflict scenario.
The MND informed local civil affairs bureaus across Taiwan about the nationwide simulation at precisely 10:30 a.m. Tuesday through official channels. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a defense official clarified that the current exercise does not require actual mobilization of local government resources or personnel, but rather serves as a strategic notification mechanism for local leaders to remain informed of defense preparations. The defense ministry plans to maintain its standard operational posture throughout this period and has indicated it will not deploy military units to city government centers unless the cross-strait situation deteriorates further.
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A military official revealed that the original military exercise schedule was from April 5-18. However, Chief of the General Staff Mei Chia-shu (梅家樹) instructed the military to advance their preparations to Tuesday. The ministry decided to maintain normal operations and will only upgrade the combat readiness center if necessary, with plans to begin the drills next Monday. +++++++
A military official with knowledge of the planning process revealed that Taiwan's original military exercise schedule had been set for April 5-18, a nearly two-week window for defensive preparations. However, in light of China's sudden military activities, Chief of the General Staff Mei Chia-shu (梅家樹), Taiwan's highest-ranking military officer, first instructed defense forces to advance their preparatory measures to today. Despite this acceleration, the ministry has later decided to maintain normal operational status during the Tomb Sweeping holiday and will only upgrade its combat readiness center to higher alert levels if deemed necessary. According to current planning, the full-scale defensive drills are scheduled to begin next Monday unless further adjustments are required.
