Participants in Taiwan's civil defense drill tend to a "patient" in Tainan on March 27. (Photo by Cheng Ting-fang)
CHENG TING-FANG and LAULY LI
TAINAN, Taiwan -- Over 1,500 people gathered in Taiwan's southern city of Tainan on Thursday to test the ability of civil society -- as opposed to the military -- to respond to disasters amid deteriorating relations with China.
President Lai Ching-te hosted the drill -- the first live, civilian-based exercise of its kind under his concept of "whole of society" resilience. Participants ranged from local and central government officials to volunteer firefighters and police officers, as well as about 500 regular civilians, according to a senior Taiwanese government official.