Taiwan cuts internet in war drill

Taiwan began its annual Han Kuang military exercises on Wednesday, launching a 10-day drill that officials said would rehearse responses to a possible Chinese attack and, for the first time, temporarily limit internet access. The exercise runs from August 5 to August 14 and includes troop mobilization, fighter dispersal, emergency naval deployments and civilian air-raid measures, according to Taiwanese officials and media reports. President Lai Ching-te was moved in an armored carrier to a command center as part of the opening phase, Japanese media reported. The drills come as Taipei also warns that new Chinese entry-exit rules could raise risks for Taiwanese traveling to China. ### Why is Taiwan cutting internet access during the drill? Senior Taiwan officials said the Han Kuang exercise would temporarily limit internet access to test how commanders and civilians operate during wartime communications disruption. Reuters, reported by Defense News and Taipei Times, said the restrictions are being used for the first time in the annual drill. (straitstimes.com) A July 21 Straits Times report said Taiwan planned to slow mobile internet for 30 minutes during August civil defense drills across 14 cities covering about 70% of the population. The report said the test was meant to prepare for communications disruption caused by disasters, cyberattacks or a Chinese blockade, and to encourage backup options such as landlines and walkie-talkies. (defensenews.com) ### How large is this year’s Han Kuang exercise? The Straits Times said Taiwan launched its largest annual Han Kuang drills from August 5 to 14 to prepare troops, reservists and civilians for a possible Chinese invasion. The report said about 20,000 soldiers are involved. Reuters, in reports carried by Defense News and Taipei Times, described the exercise as a major drill focused on testing commanders’ ability to respond when enemy movements do not follow expected plans. (straitstimes.com) Those reports said the order to begin the exercise was issued from an underground command center in Taipei early on August 5. (straitstimes.com) ### Why was the president moved in an armored carrier? The Japan Times reported that President Lai was transported in an armored carrier to a command center as the exercise opened. That movement formed part of a broader rehearsal of wartime command continuity and dispersal under attack scenarios, according to the report. Taiwanese military planning for this year’s exercise has also included tests on relocating arms production and converting civilian factories for military use under simulated attack, according to an earlier Straits Times report. (defensenews.com) That report said the drill would simulate China using routine exercises to mask invasion plans. ### Where do civilians fit into the exercise? (japantimes.co.jp) Taiwan’s All-out Defense Mobilization Agency said urban resilience and air defense exercises will be held on August 7 and from August 10 to 13 in southern, central, eastern and northern regions, as well as outer and offshore islands. The agency said each region will conduct a 30-minute drill covering alarm transmission, evacuation and sheltering, traffic control and disaster rescue. (straitstimes.com) The Straits Times said civilians would take part in air-raid exercises as China continues military pressure around Taiwan with aircraft, warships and other so-called gray-zone activity near the island. ### What else is changing in cross-strait pressure? Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said on August 5 that China’s new entry-exit regulations contain vaguely defined national-security provisions and give authorities broad discretion to restrict movement. (adma.mnd.gov.tw) The council said that could increase risks for Taiwanese traveling there. Focus Taiwan reported on July 29 that the council had recorded 402 Taiwanese reported missing, questioned or detained in China since the start of 2024. (straitstimes.com) The report said fraud cases accounted for 62% of the detention cases cited by the council. ### What happens next in the drill? The Han Kuang exercise is scheduled to continue through August 14, with additional civil defense events set for August 7 and August 10-13, according to the Straits Times and Taiwan’s All-out Defense Mobilization Agency. (focustaiwan.tw) Those next phases include regional air-raid alerts, evacuation and sheltering drills, and continued testing of communications resilience. (straitstimes.com) (focustaiwan.tw)