Taiwan’s presidential office holds “tabletop” exercise simulating military escalations by China

Taiwan’s presidential office conducted a “tabletop” exercise on Thursday simulating military escalations by China. The exercise was first-of-its-kind drill which involved government agencies beyond the armed forces that demonstrates Taiwan’s urgency in ensuring preparedness against an increasingly assertive China, CNN reported.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday evening that the simulation, involving central and local government units and civil groups, was aimed to test governmental responses to various scenarios if cross-strait tensions were to escalate further.

Lai said, “We conducted a tabletop exercise to verify the level of preparedness of each government agency in responding to extreme scenarios.” He added, “We believe that as long as the government and society are prepared, we can adequately respond to different threats – including natural disasters and authoritarian expansionism,” CNN reported.

China’s ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as part of its own territory, despite having never controlled it and insists on its eventual reunification, by force if necessary.

In recent months, Taiwan has been witnessing rise in Chinese military activities in the Taiwan Strait and the Western Pacific, with more Chinese naval and coast guard vessels moving in regional waters, and rise in Chinese aircraft operating around the island.

China also held two large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan in 2024, one in response to Lai’s inauguration in May and a second to his National Day address in October.

Lai Ching-te and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party have repeatedly rejected China’s territorial claims, stressing that Taiwan is “not subordinate” to China and that Taiwan’s future can only be decided by its 23.5 million people, according to CNN report.

The tabletop exercise was conducted to test how different government agencies could “ensure the normal functioning of society” in times of crisis, according to Taiwan’s presidential office.

According to the Taiwan’s presidential office, the exercise simulated two scenarios: one where China imposes “high-intensity” grey-zone warfare tactics, and a second where Taiwan is “on the brink of conflict”. Grey-zone tactics are considered actions that fall just below what might be considered acts of war.

Government agencies were not allowed to prepare notes in advance and had to react immediately to different contingencies, the presidential office said, without mentioning details about the exact circumstances which were included in the simulation.

While Taiwan’s military regularly holds tabletop war games to test its defence preparedness, however, it was the first time when the presidential office has conducted a simulation that focuses on civil responses to the threat of a Chinese invasion.

Taiwan’s Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, presidential office secretary-general Pan Men-an, and National Security Council secretary-general Joseph Wu chaired the simulation. Taiwan’s Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang was among a few officials leading the exercise, CNN reported.

Liu Shyh-fang said one major takeaway from the simulation was a need to bolster Taiwan’s ability to combat disinformation during extraordinary times.

She said that while Taiwan’s defence ministry was well positioned to respond to different situations, however, many government agencies struggled to clarify falsehoods during electricity or internet outages, showcasing the need for Taipei to have a backup mechanism to ensure the flow of information.

Liu Shyh-fang announced that authorities have plans to recruit and train 50,000 volunteers in Taiwan to help in disaster relief by the end of next year, which will include workers from the public sector.

Lin Fei-fan, a deputy secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, said that the simulation was important for demonstrating determination of island’s democracy to boost its resilience across society. He added, “Conducting tabletop exercises at this time is crucial for us to strengthen preparations for the future and identify areas for improvement.”