Defense News

2022/07/14

Min'an No. 8 Exercise of New Taipei City Deepen Disaster Prevention Awareness and Strengthen Inter-ministerial Capabilities

(Reported by: Military News Agency; reporter: Chou Sheng-wei, New Taipei, July 14th) The "All-out Defense Mobilization and Disaster Prevention and Rescue in New Taipei City for the Year 2022” (Min'an No. 8 Exercise) drill went underway at the re-zoning area of Shanzizhen and Taishan MRT Park this afternoon. The exercise was chaired by Hou Yu-ih, the New Taipei City Mayor. The drill mobilized units from both public and private sectors, and included more than 1,800 people, 200 vehicles, 20 drones and four helicopters. The goal of the drill was to increase disaster prevention awareness in everyday life and protect the life and property of people.

During the military drill, 24 emergency situations were released, including natural disaster rescue, wartime disaster rescue, mass evacuation of people, rescue due to an air accident, civilian and material resources mobilization, and shelter of victims. Throughout the process, colleagues and civil defense units worked together with the military, police, fire department, and medical and nursing staff to effectively verify the capabilities of New Taipei City search and rescue and wartime disaster rescue missions.

Throughout the exercise, the New Taipei Military Police (MP), reserve cadres of New Taipei City Reserve Command, the Song Her Association of New Taipei City Reserve MP and other units worked together with exercise subjects and committed to the tasks at hand, including assisting the police in subduing terrorist attackers, and cooperating with environmental restoration and disaster relief. During the process, all units exercised the powers within their unit to maintain the normal operation of society and people's livelihood.

In his speech, Mayor Hou thanked all the participants for their effort in the drill. The drills were conducted in high temperatures, yet the mobilization capabilities and tacit understanding among inter-ministerial authorities were smooth and strong. Mayor Hou emphasized that the drill has strengthen the local government's response to emergencies and prepared everyone further to handle international wars and combine cross-boundary resources from the public and private sectors to ensure manpower and equipment mobilization processes are effective to safeguard the safety of people and property.

Participants simulate rescuing lives from a collapsed building (photographed by reporter Chou Sheng-wei, Military News Agency)

2022/07/12

Reference materials for the press conference on the planning of "Wan'an No. 45 Exercise" by the Ministry of National Defense and the "Police Service App for use in air-defense and shelter areas" (July 12, 2022)

News reference of the Ministry of National Defense (MND)

Time: July 12, 2022 at 10:00

1. Title of the press conference: Planning of "Wan'an No. 45 Exercise" and an elaboration on the "Police Service App for use in air-defense and shelter areas."

2. Moderator: Major General Sun Li-fang, military spokesperson of the MND.

Participants and attendees:

1. Mr. Chu Sen-cun, Director of the Personnel Movement Division, All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency

2. Colonel Liu Yong-nan, Deputy Director of the Defense Information Division, Warfare Planning Office

3. Mr. Lin Guo-hua, Deputy Director of the Civil Defense Office, National Police Agency

4. Reference materials:

1. Basis:

(1) Civil Defense Law and enforcement rules of the Civil Defense Law.

(2) Measures for the implementation of air defense drills.

2. Purpose:

To maintain awareness of the general public of danger during peace-time, strengthen air-defense preparations and actions among nationals, reduce damage from air strikes, and ensure the safety of life and property of people.

3. Exercise planning:

It combines the "Hanguang Exercise" of the military with "pre-warning and zoning". The exercise is scheduled for July 25 to 28 (13:30 to 14:00 pm) and drill will be held in separate areas: the main island (northern, central, southern, eastern) and outlaying islands (remote), and another seven areas, including Penghu, Kinmen, and Lienchiang. During the drill, the alarm will be first signaled and released for the 30-minute drill, while evacuation for shelter, traffic control, war disaster rescue and other emergencies will be carried out afterwards. Further details are provided in the attachment.

About MND

The ROC Constitution stipulates that the ROC national defense aims to defend the nation's security and safeguard world peace. Under this, the nation's defense concepts, military strategies, military buildup, and objectives are formulated to prevent conflict. The current international situation and changes to the possible threat to the ROC are also taken into consideration in the making of defense policies at the current stage. The basic objectives are "preventing war," "defending the homeland," and "countering terrorism and responding to contingencies." The higher strategic goal is "effective deterrence, resolute defense" with the establishment of a quality self-defensive force capable of counterattack. China, though calling for reunification, has never renounced the use of force against Taiwan. It has not only deployed an increasing number of ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan but also staged large-scale military exercises with an overt saber-rattling intent to destabilize Taiwan politically and economically. Moreover, its robust economic expansion in recent years has fueled its defense spending for greater military muscle. In order to maintain Cross-Strait stability and avoid a military imbalance in the Taiwan Strait, the ROC government is calling for the establishment of confidence-building measures (CBMs) and a code of conduct on the one hand, and, on the other hand, has been constructing basic defense forces and counterattack capability to safeguard the territory without engaging in an arms race with the other side.

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