Inspired by Ukraine, civilians study urban warfare in Taiwan

Inspired by Ukraine, civilians study urban warfare in Taiwan

Dressed in military camouflage with an assault rifle at the ready, "Prof" Yeh peers from behind a vehicle in a parking lot outside Taipei, scanning his surroundings and waiting for a signal to advance.

Yeh actually works in marketing, and his weapon is a replica -- but he is spending the weekend attending an urban warfare workshop to prepare for what he sees as the very real threat of a Chinese invasion.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine at the end of February, he gave shape to the darkest fears of many Taiwanese.

But the war in Ukraine has also inspired Yeh.

He is not alone -- the organisers of the urban combat course say their students have nearly quadrupled since February. Firearms and first aid courses have also seen increased enrolment.  

Disquiet over China was brewing in Taiwan long before the Russian invasion.

Roughly 380 sorties were recorded that year -- a number that more than doubled in 2021, and is on track to do so again this year, according to an AFP database. 

But Ukraine has provided a practical blueprint for how to make that disparity matter less. 

As Yeh and his 15 teammates run in staggered column formation across the parking lot, stooping behind dilapidated buildings and vehicles to simulate attacks on enemy positions, they are trying to put some of the lessons learned in Ukraine's devastated cities into practice.

"To put it bluntly, annihilate the enemy and stop any enemy advances."

In a warehouse beside the parking lot, 34-year-old Ruth Lam is learning to fire a handgun for the first time.

"But it happened," she says.

"Prepare your umbrella before it rains," she says. "We don't know when things are going to happen."

"The will of the Ukrainian people to fight against aggressors has increased the resolve of Taiwanese to safeguard their homeland," Chen Kuan-ting, CEO of Taiwan think-tank NextGen Foundation, tells AFP.

"Only when a country's citizens have the strong will and determination to protect their land can they convince the international community to come help them," the 38-year-old says.

Citing the example of Hong Kong, where Beijing has moved to consolidate its grip in the last few years, he says simply: "Taiwan is next."

...