Military practices deployment using Taipei’s MRT

As the Han Kuang exercises continue, Taiwan tests its underground defense mobility, with an early morning drill held on the MRT, its metro system.

Transcript

00:00Early on the sixth day of Taiwan's annual military exercises, soldiers practiced deploying

00:08using Taipei's metro system. The joint drill involves military police, the army, and Taipei's

00:15governments working together to move troops and equipment during wartime. Defense analysts say

00:21using the city's underground metro is more discreet, helps protect forces from airstrikes,

00:26and could be faster by avoiding road traffic.

00:30The most important thing is that if a part of the military system can be operated,

00:35the vehicles can be operated, the speed of the movement and equipment are not small.

00:47Monday's drill saw military police travel from Shan Dao Temple Station in central Taipei to Longshan Temple Station in the west,

00:55deploying in the quiet neighborhood streets nearby.

00:58There, they set up with manned portable anti-aircraft missiles, known as dingers.

01:04It's a stark reminder that a real war with China could blur the lines between civilian and military targets.

01:11Experts say using the metro this way would likely only happen once an open war had already begun.

01:18The same experts want Taiwan to build certain safeguards.

01:23The same experts want Taiwan to build certain safeguards.

01:27into its transportation infrastructure, improving its survivability in an attack.

01:32The same experts want Taiwan to build certain safeguards.

01:36into its transportation infrastructure, improving its survivability in an attack.

01:41The same experts want Taiwan to build certain safeguards.

01:44The same experts want Taiwan to build certain safeguards.

01:46The same experts want Taiwan to build certain safeguards.

01:48into its transportation infrastructure, improving its survivability in an attack.

01:54If it's not a dangerous thing, it might cause a dangerous fire.

02:04Therefore, I think the government is able to consider.

02:05The government can also be able to build some of the safeguards in the transportation line.

02:11The gas would take place in regards to transportable safeguards.

02:15As the han guang exercises continue through the week, people in Taiwan may be forced to face an uncomfortable truth,

02:22that a war with China could put civilians as well as the military on the front line.

02:28Patrick Chen and Ellen Lu for Taiwan Plus.