Taiwan's Preparative Drills Amidst China's Threat: An In-Depth Look

Sat Sep 13 2025 15:44:25 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As tensions grow between Taiwan and China, Taiwan is ramping up its defense efforts, employing dramatic drills and community engagement to prepare for a potential attack.

Taiwan is conducting extensive military drills involving fake injuries and mock missile attacks, preparing citizens for a potential conflict with China. While the government reinforces defense strategies, many residents remain skeptical about the immediacy of a Chinese invasion, emphasizing the need for both readiness and peaceful coexistence.

How Taiwan is preparing for Chinese attack with acting, fake blood and mock missile strikes

It was just another Friday morning on the Taiwanese island of Kinmen, a few kilometres from the coast of China, when an air raid siren pierced the calm.

At a local government office, people switched off their lights and dove under tables. Others fled to an underground car park. At a nearby hospital, staff rushed to treat people staggering in with bloody injuries. But the blood was fake, and the casualties were volunteer actors. Together with the government workers, they were taking part in mandatory civil defence and military drills held across Taiwan last month. The purpose? Rehearsing their response to a possible attack by China.

China has long vowed to reunify with self-governing Taiwan and has not ruled out the use of force. It is a threat that Taiwan is increasingly taking seriously. President William Lai, who took office last year, is behind one of the strongest pushes in years to strengthen defence.

However, the urgency of convincing his own populace about the potential threats poses a challenge, with many Taiwanese believing that a Chinese invasion remains unlikely in the short term.

Currently, Taiwan is increasing its defence budget, reinforcing conscription programs, and redesigning training protocols amid growing regional tensions and the recent allegations surrounding China's military actions.

With regular drills and military exercises, Taiwan is preparing contingencies that sharpen their response to various military scenarios while appealing to the public's sense of urgency regarding national security amid heightened tensions with China.