Regular people in Taiwan are getting ready to serve as a second line of defence in the case of a Chinese attack, even though they may not be wearing uniforms like the military or paramedics.
A Taipei-based NGO called Forward Alliance conducts training to assist locals in better preparing for both natural and man-made calamities.
People are taught how to pack a deep trauma wound and control bleeding – important life-saving skills, but ones they hope they’ll never have to use.
Enoch Wu, a former soldier, established Forward Alliance and began the courses two years ago.
“In the end, it comes down to citizenship and service. You are aware that only 1% of our population is comprised of members of the military and first responders. Even though we don’t wear uniforms, the other 99.9% of us are aware that we have a part to play, Wu remarked.
Yesterday in Beijing, President Xi Jinping took a clear stance on the long-standing demand for unification. China sees Taiwan as its own territory.
For the Communist Party of China, Taiwan is an unfinished business. The Communists never succeeded in capturing the island, although they did defeat the Nationalists who fled there during the civil war. “The resolution of the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese nation to determine. With the utmost sincerity and utmost effort, we persist on working toward the possibility of a peaceful reunification.
In his opening remarks to the Communist Party Congress, Xi stated that “we are not committed to abandoning the use of force and we maintain the option of adopting all necessary measures.
Taiwan has retaliated by saying that it will not cede its independence or subvert its democratic system.
Taiwanese citizens are not in a panic, but they are preparing.
One participant at the workshop told 1News she had come “to protect us and our country”.
Another man added, “We hope we can help ourselves and other people to avoid emergency or huge injury.”
After US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit, China exercised its huge military muscle in manoeuvres near Taiwan.
However, China’s two million-strong military dwarfs Taiwan’s 160,000-strong force.
“I think it would be naive and irresponsible to claim that we are fully prepared for any and all threats.
Because of this, it requires work, and we should all put in more effort, Wu stated.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, interest in resilience seminars has increased.
“The resistance that Ukrainian citizens have put up has inspired us, and it’s reinforced how important it is for whole society to come together in times of need,” said Wu.
“The military cannot handle this issue on its own, and Taiwan cannot handle it either if war were to break out over the Taiwan Strait.
The Asia New Zealand Foundation has provided funding for Cushla Norman’s travel to Taiwan.
Residents of Taiwan acquire emergency training in the wake of attacks by China
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