Civilian group hosts Taiwan tabletop simulation of attack from mainland China

The two-day exercise kicked off on Tuesday to ‘identify defence issues’ as part of Taipei’s push to mobilise non-military resources

Reading Time:2 minutes

A two-day tabletop war game focused on the defence of Taiwan against an attack from the Chinese mainland started on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Published: 1:00pm, 10 Jun 2025Updated: 5:16pm, 10 Jun 2025

A think tank in Taiwan has started a two-day war game with retired US and Japanese generals to simulate the island’s defence in the event of a military attack from the Chinese mainland.

The Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation, which organised the tabletop exercise, said the aim was to “identify the defence issues that Taiwan urgently needs to strengthen and provide recommendations for the government”.

Described as the first operational-level military simulation by a civilian institution, the Taiwan Defence TTX event began on Tuesday. Among the invitees were nine retired generals and eight retired lieutenant generals from Taiwan, the US and Japan.

They included Michael Mullen, who served as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011, and Dennis Blair, former US director of national intelligence, according to a report on Sunday by the Central News Agency.

Takei Tomohisa, a former chief of staff of Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force, and retired air force general Shigeru Iwasaki are also taking part in the exercise, the agency report said.

The intention of the exercise is to discuss “the feasibility of Taiwan’s military strategy and operational concepts” in response to Beijing’s use of force against Taiwan by 2030, it said.

The foundation has not responded to a request for comment from the South China Morning Post.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x