Life in China’s Crosshairs
For the Taiwanese, independence is not just a matter of national pride, it is a requisite for their dignity and their right to choose their own civilisational path.
Jin-class Chinese nuclear submarines are circling Taiwan. A few miles away, the Taiwanese coast guard is on high alert, ever-ready to respond to what increasingly feels like the inevitable. For decades, Chinese officials have claimed that the independent nation of Taiwan rightfully belongs to China and signalled that they’re willing to use military force, if necessary, to bring it under their control. These threats, which materialise in the form of daily military drills designed to strike fear into the hearts of the Taiwanese, imperil the lives of 23 million people living in the young democracy.
On a frigid Saturday in Taipei, across from a street market bustling with bubble tea stands, I attended a day-long crash course at Kuma Academy. There, dozens of Taiwanese young professionals and I learned how to defend the island from an invasion that many locals fear is imminent. Taiwan’s Civil Defence Act of 2021 formally integrated civilian groups like Kuma Academy and Forward Alliance into the country’s defence strategy in the hope of deterring Chinese aggression. For Taiwan’s government, a battle-ready civilian population sends a clear message: that any Chinese victory would be pyrrhic, as their military force and occupation would face total civilian resistance.
