Taiwan slows mobile internet during military drills simulating Chinese attack

During its annual Han Kuang war games in August 2026, Taiwan deliberately throttled mobile internet speeds to 256 Kbps for 30 minutes in central and northern regions, including Taipei, to simulate communications disruptions during a potential Chinese attack. The civil defense drills also cleared city streets and closed metro gates. President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by de facto U.S., Israeli, and Canadian ambassadors, inspected underground emergency facilities as Beijing continues its daily military deployments around the island.

Han Kuang military exercises

• ▪Taiwanese armed forces and the coast guard conducted their first joint anti-blockade drill on August 12, 2026, simulating the escort of a merchant ship to ports on the east coast.
• ▪Taiwan conducted its 10-day-long annual Han Kuang war games in August 2026 to practice fighting a potential Chinese military invasion.
• ▪Taiwanese military forces simulated repelling a Chinese air landing assault on the Penghu Islands in the pre-dawn hours of August 10, 2026.

Mobile internet throttling drills

• ▪The mobile internet throttling drills did not affect fixed-line internet, Wi-Fi, landlines, ATMs, or traffic signals.
• ▪Taiwan President Lai Ching-te apologized to the public for the mobile internet slowdown, calling it a necessary drill to build resilience.
• ▪Taiwanese telecommunication operators deliberately throttled mobile internet speeds to 256 Kbps for 30 minutes in central Taiwan on August 10, 2026, and in northern Taiwan on August 13, 2026.

Civil defense air raid drills

• ▪Air raid sirens sounded and streets emptied for 30 minutes during civil defense drills in Taichung on August 10, 2026, and in Taipei on August 13, 2026.
• ▪Police ushered pedestrians off the streets and stopped vehicles during the 30-minute mock air attacks, while metro stations closed their gates to passengers.

Presidential emergency facility visits

• ▪Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visited an underground emergency ward at a hospital in New Taipei and a supermarket on August 13, 2026, to inspect emergency provision distribution.
• ▪Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visited a hospital simulating the relocation of its critical operations to underground facilities during the August 2026 defense drills.

Foreign diplomat participation

• ▪Senior foreign diplomats, including the de facto United States, Israeli, and Canadian ambassadors, accompanied Taiwan President Lai Ching-te during his emergency facility inspections on August 13, 2026.
• ▪Taiwan President Lai Ching-te stated that Taiwan is addressing regional geopolitical changes alongside the shared concern and joint efforts of the international community.

China-Taiwan territorial tensions

• ▪Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported that 18 Chinese warplanes and 11 navy ships operated around the island between Wednesday, August 12, and Thursday, August 13, 2026.
• ▪China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased maritime pressure, including holding law enforcement patrols off Taiwan's east coast starting in June 2026.