New Taipei, Taiwan, July 7, 2022 (AFP) – Dressed in military camouflage clothing and holding an assault rifle, “Prof” Yeh hides behind a vehicle in a parking lot on the outskirts of Taipei and looks for a sign. to go forward.
Yeh works in marketing and his gun is a replica, but he spent the weekend training in urban warfare in preparation for an eventual Chinese invasion.
“The Russian-Ukrainian war is a great motivation to come to this training,” said Yeh, 47, whose “war is called” “Prof.”
When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine in February, it shaped many Taiwanese’s darkest fears.
The autonomous democratic island is under constant threat from autocratic China, which sees it as part of its territory and promises to conquer it.
– “Sense of crisis” – But concerns about China existed in Taiwan long before the Russian invasion.
Max Chiang, head of the company that organized the trainings, said there has been an “increasing sense of crisis” among Taiwanese since 2020, when Chinese planes entered the island’s airspace.
According to an AFP database, around 380 attacks were recorded that year, with that number more than doubled in 2021 and could rise again this year.
China militarily surpasses Taiwan with more than a million troops against Taiwan’s 88,000; According to the US Department of Defense, 6,300 tanks against 800 and 1,600 fighters against 400.
But Ukraine has provided a practical model for how to make this inequality less important. Kyiv has shown that fighting for control of cities can be difficult and expensive for attacking forces, with most of Taiwan’s 23 million population living in urban areas.
– Designated Population – In a warehouse next to a parking lot, 34-year-old Ruth Lam learns to use a firearm for the first time.
He hopes to protect his family in the event of war and plans to continue target practice with his friends. “Get your umbrella ready before it rains,” he said.
In a May survey, 61.4% of those consulted said they were willing to take up arms in the event of an invasion.
“The desire of the Ukrainian people to fight the aggressors has increased Taiwanese determination to protect their homeland,” Chen Kuan-ting, head of the NextGen Foundation think tank, told AFP.
Lin Ping-yu, a former paratrooper, enrolled in the city battle course “to improve his combat skills”.
“Only when a country’s people have the will and determination to protect their land can they persuade the international community to help them,” said Lin, 38.
Yeh thinks it’s only a matter of time before they’re called upon to use their new abilities.
Citing the example of Hong Kong, where Beijing has consolidated its dominance in recent years, he simply says, “Taiwan is next.”
source: Noticias
[author_name]
