Taiwan War Resiliency Team to Hold First Meeting as China Looms

(Bloomberg) - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will hold the first meeting of a civil defense committee intended to keep the archipelago resilient in any emergency — a move that comes as China ratchets up pressure on his government.

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The body will gather on Thursday to discuss ways to train and use civilian assets and keep key energy facilities and critical infrastructure operating, the semi-official Central News Agency reported, citing government officials it didn't identify.

The gathering will also discuss ways to ensure safety of information, transport and financial networks, the report on Monday said. Plans for providing medical care and handling any evacuations would be on the agenda, it added.

Lai formed the committee in June just after taking office, underscoring his concern about Taiwan's readiness in the event of a crisis. He said at the time that "a strong will for self-defense" was needed to "effectively respond to various disasters and risks."

China claims Taiwan as territory that must be brought under its control, by force if necessary, and has shown a deep dislike for Lai's government over his first few months in office.

It held major military drills around Taiwan's main island shortly after Lai's inauguration and has been stepping up pressure on its offshore outposts. It has also removed tariff exemptions on some Taiwanese exports, a move Taipei has said was intended to "pressure and intimidate" the democracy of 23 million.

Despite the simmering tensions, Beijing has said it prefers to gain control of Taiwan peacefully. Late last year, Lai's predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, said China was too busy dealing with domestic economic and political problems to invade.

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