TAIPEI – For half an hour, internet speeds slowed to a crawl across parts of Taiwan.
The temporary disruption on Thursday affected users in the capital, Taipei, as well as six other cities and localities. It formed part of the final stage of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military exercises, a series of drills that began last week and are designed to test the island’s readiness for a possible Chinese invasion.
Telecom companies reduced mobile internet traffic to 256 Kbps, leaving most users able to do little beyond sending text messages. In normal conditions, people in Taiwan’s major cities typically have access to high-speed 5G networks.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te apologized for the inconvenience caused to the public. “We ask for your understanding and support, as this is a necessary drill,” he said.
Taiwan has intensified the Han Kuang drills this year, bringing in more reservists and civilians while placing greater emphasis on scenarios that could unfold in a real conflict. In previous years, urban resilience exercises in Taipei were far less noticeable and caused little disruption. Air raid drills inside metro stations, for instance, did not stop passengers from continuing their journeys.
This time, however, civilian participation and coordination with local governments were central features of the exercises, according to the Taipei Times.
At one Taipei metro station on Thursday afternoon, commuters and visitors stood waiting after station gates were closed as part of an air raid simulation.
Allen Hsieh, a tourist from Hong Kong who was among those kept inside the station for 30 minutes, said the drills felt realistic.
“The exercise did not cause me any inconvenience. I know that Taiwan needs to conduct exercises, given the current situation. I can understand that,” he said. “I did not expect it to be so real. I thought I would only receive text messages.”
Lai also visited a hospital as it simulated how to relocate its critical operations to underground facilities as part of the drills.
Taiwan is ramping up its defense exercises and purchases in response to heightened tensions with China, which claims the island as its own. China sends military planes, as well as Coast Guard ships and other vessels towards Taiwan on a daily basis and carries out large-scale military exercises from time to time.
Between Wednesday to Thursday morning, 18 Chinese warplanes and 11 navy ships operated around Taiwan, the island’s Defense Ministry said.
