Taiwan’s Civilian Defenders Are Clamoring for U.S. Military Training

Taipei, Taiwan — A Ukrainian flag fluttered in the yard of a Presbyterian church located a stone’s throw from Taiwan’s legislature, as a crowd gathered inside on a recent weekend for a wedding rehearsal. Meanwhile, in a conference room below, a few dozen people prepared for an expected Chinese invasion of their country.

Although some officials and experts have attempted to offer a timeline, no one knows precisely when Beijing might launch an assault, should the regime ultimately choose that path. Nevertheless, with Chinese military threats escalating and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at front of mind, at least a handful of Taiwan’s 23 million citizens are preparing for an attack.