Taiwan will deliberately slow mobile internet speeds for the first time during annual civil defence drills in August, testing how citizens would communicate if bandwidth became scarce in emergencies ranging from disasters to a Chinese invasion.
Preparedness Measures
During the 30-minute slowdown, high-bandwidth services, such as video calls, streaming and social media images, will be unavailable across 14 cities and counties in northern and central Taiwan home to about 70% of the population, government planning documents show.
The exercise is part of Taiwan’s push to beef up preparedness as China steps up military pressure around the island, prompting officials to plan not only for air raids but also communications disruptions in case of a blockade, cyberattack or invasion.
A senior Taiwan security official told a briefing that the current drills will not only involve central government agencies but also help the public strengthen their own preparations for using different communication methods.
The official pointed to a recent spike in Chinese coast guard activities off Taiwan’s Pacific coast, citing examples from Japan and Singapore where similar drills have been conducted.
Communications resilience has become a growing strategic concern for Taipei after repeated undersea cable breaks in recent years exposed its vulnerability to disruptions that officials say could stem from natural disasters, sabotage or China’s grey-zone tactics.
Taiwanese authorities have also been holding drills to prepare officials and the public for “compound disasters” — cascading crises that could range from earthquakes to war with China.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out using force to take control of the island. Taiwan strongly rejects China’s sovereignty claim, saying only its people can decide their future.
The slowdown during Taiwan’s annual air-raid drills will affect the central region on August 10 and its north on August 13 for 30 minutes each time. Key services, from ATMs and traffic signals to emergency ambulance calls, will not be affected.
A publicity campaign, including television ticker messages, will spread guidance on how citizens should respond, the official added.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
