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       TAINAN: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te oversaw on Thursday the first civil defence drills under his newly created social resilience committee simulating how to respond to a large-scale disaster like a tsunami or attacks on critical infrastructure.

       The drill, in the southern city of Twainan, was held under the auspices of Lai’s new Whole-of-Society Defence Resilience Committee, set up last year to prepare to deal with natural disasters or other emergencies such as an attack by China, which views the democratically-governed island as its own territory.

       Similarly, Japan unveiled a plan on Thursday to evacuate around 120,000 residents and tourists from its southern islets near Taiwan within six days in the event of an “emergency”.

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       The plan was put together as “the security situation surrounding our nation grows severe” and with an “emergency” in mind, the government’s crisis management office said. Exactly what that emergency might be was left unspecified in the plan but it envisages the evacuation of around 120,000 people in five Japanese islets close to Taiwan.

       Japan to evacuate 120,000 residents from islets near Taiwan

       China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has stepped up military pressure in recent years, including near-daily air incursions. It has not ruled out using force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.

       Speaking to participants after viewing some of the drills in Tainan, Lai said these were the first live drills for the committee and involved around 1,500 people and there would be more next month.

       Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2025