DEFENSE/Civil-military cooperation enhances Taiwan's defense resilience: Lai

Taipei, June 26 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Thursday that newly launched Urban Resilience Exercises will be held in tandem with this year's Han Kuang exercise, to enhance Taiwan's whole-of-society defense resilience through "civil-military cooperation."

In his opening remarks at the fourth meeting of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, Lai said the Han Kuang exercises -- Taiwan's largest-scale annual military drills -- focus on military training, while the Urban Resilience Exercises are aimed at coordinating emergency responses among non-military sectors.

"Through civil-military cooperation, we demonstrate the will of national unity and enhance Taiwan's whole-of-society defense resilience," said Lai, who serves as convener of the committee established by the Presidential Office after he took office in May last year.

With the live-fire segment of the Han Kuang exercise set to run for 10 days from July 9-18, three Urban Resilience Drills will be held from July 15-17 in Taichung, Tainan and Taipei, Lai said, noting that July has been designated "National Unity Month" in Taiwan.

"Key infrastructure sites will be selected for practical drills, and ration distribution points, first aid stations, and relief centers will be set up in the surrounding administrative areas," Lai said of the three Urban Resilience Drills scheduled for mid-July.

In addition, all 22 cities and counties across Taiwan will "simultaneously" conduct air-raid shelter and civil defense drills to "comprehensively test the coordination and response capabilities of central and local governments in extreme scenarios," he said.

Urban Resilience Drills have been held in eight counties and cities across Taiwan since April 10, including Lienchiang County (Matsu Islands), Hualien County, Keelung City, Hsinchu City, Taitung County, Penghu County, Kinmen County, and Chiayi City, according to Lai.

Noting that the supermarket chain PX Mart will also take part in the Urban Resilience Drills in July, Lai said that every role and every contribution is "an indispensable part" of safeguarding national security.

Through "National Unity Month," Taiwanese society can strengthen the awareness that "preparedness leads to greater safety" through hands-on drills, Lai said.

The month-long initiative also serves to demonstrate to the international community the Taiwanese people's "strong will to defend [the country] and their determination to protect themselves," he added.