Taiwan holds ‘urban resilience’ drills to test war readiness amid PLA pressure

Taiwan on Thursday launched sweeping civil defence exercises across Taipei and several northern cities, testing society-wide wartime readiness and urban resilience in the face of escalating pressure from Beijing.

The drills were held alongside the island’s annual Han Kuang military exercise, Taiwan’s largest and most comprehensive war games.

This year marks the first time that the government has officially integrated its long-running civil response and air defence drills into a single, comprehensive “urban resilience exercise”.

At 1.30pm, air-raid sirens sounded across northern Taiwan, prompting a coordinated response that included the evacuation of civilians and vehicles, lighting blackouts, and shelter-in-place procedures.

In Taipei, mass rapid transit (MRT) stations implemented “entry-only” protocols, with passengers instructed to remain underground. Streets emptied, traffic stopped, and businesses shut their doors – transforming the capital into a wartime simulation.

The siren pattern – one long and two short blasts over a total of 115 seconds – marked the beginning of the drill, followed by a 90-second all-clear signal at 2pm. Authorities issued real-time mobile alerts to guide citizens through emergency steps. Those who failed to comply risked fines of up to NT$150,000 (US$5,100) under the Civil Defence Act.