Simulated Chinese blockade of Taiwan reveals Singapore as lifeline

By Greg Torode, Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee – Reuters

• Scenario simulated responses to a Chinese military blockade of Taiwan
• Challenge was evacuation of Southeast Asian nationals from Taiwan, sources say
• Singapore’s military presence in Taiwan emerged as key element
• Exercise offers glimpse of contingency planning over Taiwan amid China drills

HONG KONG/TAIPEI, Aug 8 (Reuters) – The exercise presented a fraught scenario: China’s military had blockaded Taiwan by air and sea, and Southeast Asian countries were grappling with how to evacuate as many as 1 million of their nationals trapped on the besieged island.

Over two days in April at a Singapore hotel, some 40 participants and observers in the war game, including serving and retired Asia-Pacific officials and military officers, as well as security scholars, simulated their responses to the unfolding crisis, according to four people familiar with the discussions.