The Philippines has a lot to learn from Taiwan as we both are targets of China’s political and information warfare
A foreigner visiting Taiwan for the first time said he expected to see soldiers on the streets and grim-faced people, as he had been closely following news reports on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) planes hovering around Taiwan’s airspace and civilian defense drills organized by the Taiwanese government, including simulations of air raids, disaster response, mobile internet outages, and evacuations.
The first-time visitor also anticipated feeling tension in the air as Taiwanese prepared for 2027, the year Xi Jinping set to modernize the PLA, which many interpret as the date for a possible invasion or blockade of Taiwan.
To his surprise and amazement, he saw Taiwanese going about their commute, smiling and spirited, chilling out in parks, shopping, and enjoying meals in food stalls and night markets. He did not spot any armed, uniformed men guarding malls, office buildings or train stations. (That’s more like a scene from Manila.)
In my trips to Taipei, I’ve often asked how residents felt about potential Chinese aggression—anywhere from blockade to quarantine to invasion. I didn’t feel their nervousness or sense of panic in our conversations. They’ve been used to these threats for many years, they say, a situation just like the boy who cried wolf.
