TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A drill simulating a Chinese air raid was carried out in northern Taiwan on Thursday as part of four days of such exercises being held across the country.
For the first time, the government combined the annual Wan An air defense and Min An civil defense drills to form the 2025 Urban Resilience Exercise. The exercises are taking place from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on July 15 to 18 in most regions, except for eastern Taiwan and outlying islands, where they will be conducted from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
On Thursday, the drill encompassed Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu County, Keelung, and Hsinchu. In Taipei, the scenario simulated a sudden aerial assault, prompting the central government to issue alerts and activate the warning system.
Taipei Metro trains operated as usual, but a no-exit policy was in effect, and passengers were required to follow staff instructions for evacuation. Those arriving at stations proceeded to the lobby or platform levels as directed.
At 1:30 p.m., a 15-second air raid siren sounded, followed by two five-second ones. The all-clear signal was issued at 2 p.m. with one continuous 90-second tone.
During the 30-minute drill period, all vehicles were ordered off the streets, and pedestrians were required to go indoors. Shoppers at chains such as Carrefour and RT-Mart in certain districts were guided to shelters.
In the case of Taipei, Taipei Arena, Taipei Children’s Amusement Park, East Metro Mall, and Zhongshan Metro Mall were closed during the drill. Their parking lots also enforced the no-exit rule, and the public followed staff directions to evacuation points.
City buses halted departures during the drill, according to the Taipei transportation department. Buses already in service pulled over, and passengers were asked to disembark and evacuate.
Intercity buses continued highway operations but followed evacuation protocols once on local roads. Users of YouBike and shared cars or scooters stopped their vehicles by the roadside and followed evacuation instructions from authorities.
Flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport continued with normal takeoffs and landings, but external transportation services, including passenger buses, taxis, and rental cars, paused departures during the drill. Passengers arriving at the airport were given audio announcements and staff instructions to evacuate inside the terminal.
The video below shows the intersection of Xinyi Road and Jinshan Road during the drill:
