Taiwan briefly slows its mobile internet to text-only speed as part of defense drill
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- Taiwan's mobile internet was throttled to 256 Kbps for 30 minutes in Taipei and six other cities and localities during the final phase of the Han Kuang exercises, making 5G-capable phones effectively text-only
- Han Kuang exercises ran for over a week modeling response to a possible Chinese military invasion, with this year's drills incorporating reservists and civilians into real-world scenarios at a higher intensity than in prior years
- President Lai Ching-te apologized to the public for the inconvenience, stating, "We ask for your understanding and support, as this is a necessary drill"
- Taipei metro stations shut their gates for 30 minutes during air raid simulations; Hong Kong tourist Allen Hsieh said he "did not expect it to be so real" and thought he would "only receive text messages"
- A Taipei hospital simulated relocating critical operations to underground facilities as part of the drills, a step Lai personally visited
- Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported 18 Chinese warplanes and 11 navy ships operated around the island between Wednesday and Thursday morning, underscoring the daily military pressure that frames the drills
Why it matters: Taiwan deliberately made this year's Han Kuang drills disruptive — closing metro gates and throttling mobile internet — whereas previous urban resilience exercises "went largely unnoticed," according to the article. The shift means civil defense now actively involves civilians and local governments, transforming a once-low-profile military exercise into a society-wide rehearsal for Chinese invasion scenarios.
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