Taiwan’s Drills Reveal a Weak Link in Its Defenses

Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang exercises are often described as a display of military readiness. But the real test lies beyond the battlefield. The drills are a useful step, yet they raise a sharper question: can the island actually withstand a full-blown crisis? The focus is shifting from tanks and jets to urban resilience. As part of the drills, civilians now practice evacuations, emergency medical responses, and supply distribution in crowded cities. These scenarios simulate the chaos of a blockade or a strike, not just an invasion. The shift is deliberate. Taiwan’s strategy now relies on making an attack too costly to attempt. Part of that cost is knowing that the island’s infrastructure and population can keep functioning under extreme pressure. However, the drills only go so far. They test procedures, but they do not measure real-world endurance. For example, how long can hospitals run on backup power? Are water and food stockpiles enough for weeks, not days? Can communication networks survive a targeted cyberattack? These are the measurable questions that remain unanswered. Without clear numbers and stress tests, the drills risk becoming symbolic rather than practical. In short, the Han Kuang exercises are a necessary start. But to truly deter a crisis, Taiwan must turn its rehearsals into hard, verifiable capabilities. The world is watching not just for the show of force, but for the proof of survival.