Mobilization drills to build resilience against China threats: Analysts

Taipei, July 22 (CNA) Civil mobilization drills scheduled for next month in parts of northern and southern Taiwan will be more closely integrated with the annual Han Kuang military exercises than last year's drills to build public resilience against gray-zone activities and the aftermath of war, analysts said Wednesday.

The Urban Resilience All-Out Defense Mobilization Exercises will be more fully integrated with the Han Kuang drills scheduled for Aug. 5-14 than those held last year, when Taiwan conducted the civil mobilization exercises for the first time, a government source familiar with the matter told CNA Tuesday.

According to the source, the drills will include military and civilian scenarios and, for the first time, test coordinated responses among administrative regions. The exercises will cover the establishment of underground medical facilities, civilian evacuations, medical evacuations to rear areas, joint transportation and logistics operations, and drone-based resupply, aiming to strengthen whole-of-society resilience.

Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the drills are designed to strengthen civilian responses to gray-zone activities -- coercive actions below the threshold of war -- and wartime scenarios, when the military would be preoccupied with combat operations and lack sufficient forces to reinforce every region.

Shen stressed the importance of psychological resilience against China's gray-zone activities near Taiwan, such as military exercises and incursions by military vessels and aircraft. Such resilience would help prevent the public from succumbing to cognitive warfare and disinformation that could undermine social unity, he said.

Chen Shih-min (陳世民), an associate professor of political science at National Taiwan University, also underscored the importance of maintaining the public's will to resist should Taiwan come under attack.

"Public morale cannot be so fragile that people would want to surrender after just two or three days without electricity and water," he said.

Citing Ukrainians' experiences seeking shelter from Russian air raids and coping with water and power outages, particularly during the first three months of Russia's full-scale invasion, Chen said their resilience provides a valuable example for Taiwanese people.

Chen said whole-of-society drills are crucial because they allow people to recognize that if China attacks Taiwan, society as a whole -- not just soldiers -- must respond to the crisis and support the armed forces behind the front lines.

Meanwhile, the National Communications Commission on Wednesday urged people to save important information, such as maps and shelter locations, on their mobile phones ahead of air raid drills scheduled for next month, during which internet disruptions will be simulated.

The exercise will be held in seven central Taiwan jurisdictions -- Miaoli County, Taichung, Changhua County, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chiayi County and Chiayi City -- from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 10.

The same simulation will be carried out in seven northern jurisdictions -- Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City and Yilan County -- from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 13.