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MOFA reveals crisis drill details

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said that its role in a high-profile cross-strait war emergency drill on Wednesday was to simulate a possible scenario where Taiwan was accused of assassinating a top Chinese leader undertaking an overseas state visit.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Wednesday night presided over a war drill simulating a surprise attack on Taiwan's power plants, political centers and military centers by hundreds of Chinese missiles.

The simulation, code-named Yu-shan No. 2, took place in the Hengshan Command Center in suburban Taipei.

High-ranking officials including National Security Council Secretary General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁), Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), Defense Minister Lee Jye (李傑) and other Cabinet ministers participated in the drill.

Chiou said the drill was designed to test the response of various administrative and military units in the event of a national emergency.

The drill was also intended to assess inter-departmental coordination in the event of emergencies, Chiou said.

The two-and-half-hour drill proceeded smoothly, practicing contingency measures to be undertaken in the event of a crisis situation, Chiou said.

In addition to missile attacks, another scenario the simulation envisaged was that of Taiwan being accused of responsibility for the assassination of a top Chinese official on an overseas state visit.

"The ministry's response to this scenario was to clarify through diplomatic channels [that Taiwan was not responsible for the assassination] and to demand an investigation into the identity of the true culprit," said MOFA spokesperson Michel Lu (呂慶龍), who attended Wednesday's simulation.

In response to a decapitation missile attack by China, Lu said one of the ministry's roles in the drill was to ensure the safety of all expatriates in Taiwan and to facilitate the evacuation by foreign embassies and representative offices in Taiwan of their nationals, while at the same time soliciting assistance and support from the UN.

"If China launched a decapitation attack on Taiwan ? MOFA would issue severe condemnation and then request help from the UN through our diplomatic allies. Meanwhile, MOFA would stress to neighboring countries the need to maintain cross-strait stability together," Lu said.

The official said one scenario involved MOFA informing the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to evacuate their nationals. AIT officials were not, however, present at Wednesday's drill.
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