Sirens trigger 30-minute shutdown as Taiwan prepares for potential missile threat

Taipei, Taiwan — Streets emptied, sirens wailed, and daily life came to a halt in Taiwan’s capital on Thursday as part of an annual air-raid drill designed to prepare civilians for the possibility of a missile attack from China.

At exactly 1:30 p.m. local time (0530 GMT), sirens blared across Taipei and northern Taiwan, signaling the start of the mandatory 30-minute evacuation exercise. Residents were ordered indoors, traffic halted, and businesses paused operations in a rare moment of quiet across the typically bustling city.

The Wan’an (万安) drills, held annually by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, simulate a real-time emergency response to a missile strike and are intended to improve public readiness amid escalating cross-strait tensions.

“This is not just a drill it’s a reminder of the threat we face,” a Taipei government spokesperson said. “Our citizens must know how to react in the event of an attack.”

The exercise comes amid increased military pressure from Beijing, which has ramped up naval and air activity near Taiwan in recent months, including simulated blockades and incursions into Taiwanese airspace.

While the drills are routine, their intensity and visibility have grown in recent years as Taiwan boosts national defense measures and civil preparedness.