TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The government will soon conduct its first joint exercise involving the Ministry of the Interior and other agencies simulating a Chinese blockade, Deputy Interior Minister Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said in a Bloomberg interview published Monday.
The drill aims to ensure Taiwan can protect critical supply lines during a regional conflict and continue importing energy, Ma said, according to Bloomberg. He warned that a large-scale blockade around Taiwan would have a far-reaching impact on the entire region. Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has highlighted the risks involved, he added.
If the Taiwan Strait or nearby waters were blocked, it would cut off almost all energy supplies across the region, Ma said.
Ma added that the interior ministry will stage additional drills focusing on domestic supply logistics in July, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, the Navy and Coast Guard Administration will conduct exercises that month to practice escort operations for vessels navigating waters around Taiwan.
Unlike the Strait of Hormuz, ships can bypass the Taiwan Strait by sailing east of Taiwan during a regional conflict, Ma said. However, rerouting into the Pacific would likely increase shipping costs and extend delivery times, he added.
The deputy minister said Taiwan aims to keep three sea lanes open if China implements a blockade. Taiwan would remain connected to the Philippines, Japan, and the US through these routes, he said.
Ma said he expects Japan and other countries to assist Taiwan with future escort missions, noting that freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait have already shown there is an informal international consensus to keep the waterway open.
