Taiwan Slows Mobile Internet in First-Ever Wartime Drill

Taiwan on Monday slowed mobile internet access across a large part of the island's central region for the first time during its annual war games, simulating the communication breakdown that could follow a Chinese attack or a major natural disaster.

The drill, centered on the central metropolis of Taichung, allowed only basic mobile phone services to function. Key infrastructure such as ATMs and traffic signals remained unaffected, as did landlines and fixed internet connections.

Air raid sirens sounded in Taichung at 2:30 p.m. local time, and residents cleared the streets for 30 minutes as part of the exercise. The government had announced the drill in advance, sending text alerts in both Chinese and English on Friday and posting details on social media.

Northern Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, is scheduled to undergo the same exercise on Thursday.

The move comes as Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, continues its 10-day Han Kuang exercise. Earlier on Monday, the military simulated repelling a Chinese air landing assault on the strategically important Penghu Islands, located in the Taiwan Strait.

During the pre-dawn exercise, troops from the First Theatre Command fired M60A3 tanks, artillery, and anti-aircraft guns at a beach on Penghu, forming what the military described as a "multi-layered" defense against a simulated rapid coastal landing.

Penghu, which lies closer to Taiwan's main island than to China, is considered by Taiwanese strategists as a likely first target for Beijing, potentially serving as a base for missile and drone attacks.

Reservists from Penghu participated in the exercise as part of their 14-day training program, reflecting Taiwan's efforts to better integrate reserve forces into operational planning and make preparations more realistic.