With an eye on what’s been unfolding around Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, Taiwan has conducted drills that simulated an emergency response following an imagined attack on nuclear power plants in order to enhance readiness for potential Chinese military invasion.
“About 500 people, including police, firefighters, power utility workers and private volunteers, took part in the exercise held in the southern Taiwanese county of Pingtung” – which took place late last week.
Regional media reporting indicated the simulation was based on military facilities and civilian buildings being hit by Chinese missiles, resulting in large fires. Crucially the drill was held in Pingtung County, which hosts two nuclear power plants.
Taiwan’s Maanshan nuclear power plant. Image: CEphoto
According to Japan’s international public media service NHK World, “After Russian forces attacked nuclear power facilities in Ukraine, Taiwan’s defense ministry instructed local authorities to include a response to possible military attacks in their disaster drills this year.”
The report underscored further, “Other cities and counties are also preparing to hold drills that can help improve their capabilities to respond to a contingency.”
Recently US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Samuel J Paparo warned the Beijing is closely studying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “and learning from it” to see what lessons could be applied to a future theoretical Taiwan invasion.
“China is undoubtedly watching what’s happened in Ukraine, taking notes, and learning from it,” Adm. Paparo said earlier this month, as quoted in regional journal Taiwan Focus.
“And there will be learning and there will be adjustments to the extent that they’re able to learn from it. And they will improve their capabilities based on what they learn at this time,” he added.
Further, he described that he’d be “loath to say or to do anything that would relieve the urgency to prepare, to uphold the international rules-based order and to uphold the U.S.’ commitment for the defence of Taiwan, if there were an effort to unify Taiwan by force.”
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