• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

AIR-RAID DRILL PARALLELS HAN KUANG EXERCISE: MND

ROC Central News Agency

2006-06-28 17:05:29

    Taipei, June 28 (CNA) The No. 29 Wan An air-raid drill for northern Taiwan is scheduled to be held early July 6, breaking the norm of holding the drills in the afternoon, a Ministry of National Defense spokesman said Wednesday.

    Wu Chi-fang said the 30-minute drill is scheduled to begin at 5 a.m., when air-raid sirens will sound in cities and counties north of Hsinchu.

    Wu explained that the Defense Ministry decided to hold the drill in the early morning to parallel the ongoing Han Kuang Exercise, some of which involves live-ammunition firing.

    The moving forward of the Wan An air-raid drill schedule is also based on a scenario that the Chinese People's Liberation Army launches a surprise attack on Taiwan in the early morning rather than later in the day, Wu said.

    Wu appealed to the public not to be angry about the possible inconveniences that the early morning air-raid drill might cause, pointing out that the enemy will not invade Taiwan suddenly at a time that would be "convenient" for anybody.

    The spokesman appealed to the public to take complementary measures on the early morning air-raid drill July 6, saying that people "should be prepared for danger in times of peace."

    Wu said the Defense Ministry has communicated with local governments in advance over the rescheduling of the drill. For example, he said, the celebrated fish market auction in Keelung will be closed that morning.

    Traffic restrictions will be imposed in all areas of northern Taiwan during the drill, with pedestrians and drivers told to clear the streets and cars ordered to stop. Stores and shops will be told to close their doors, Wu added.

(By Deborah Kuo)

ENDITEM/J