Taiwan throttles mobile internet in parts of the island due to military drill

According to the Ministry of Defense and the national communications authority, citizens are to be informed in advance about the exact timing of the tests. During the throttling, voice telephony and important emergency call services are expected to remain reachable, according to previous plans. The aim is to keep the impact on the economy and daily life as low as possible.

Government reaction

The "Han Kuang" exercise takes place against the backdrop of growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing regards the democratic island republic as part of its territory and has in recent years intensified military activities in the region. Taipei rejects Beijing's claims and relies on its own deterrence and defense strategy.

The internet throttling plans reflect the Ministry of Defense's experience from earlier maneuvers in which civil-military cooperation was practiced. Reservists have been increasingly integrated into such exercises in recent years. The Navy is also among the units conducting increased maneuvers during the current exercise phase.

Tensions in the Taiwan Strait

The Taiwanese government emphasizes that the tests do not represent a permanent restriction of internet freedom. Rather, the goal is to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen the resilience of networks against sabotage or overload. The results are to feed into civilian emergency planning.

Observers assess the step as part of Taipei's broader strategy to arm itself against hybrid threats. These include, in addition to cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and pressure on critical infrastructure. The throttling is intended to show how well authorities, telecommunications providers, and the population are prepared for such scenarios.

Critics have in the past called for the measures to be communicated transparently and for affected industries to be involved at an early stage. The government announced that a report would be published after the tests, explaining the results and possible adjustments. Until then, the general public remains dependent on the official advance information.

Overall, the planned throttling makes clear how seriously Taiwan takes the threat situation and how much cyber and communications security is now considered part of national defense.

In the long term, according to government circles, the population should learn to deal with phases of limited connectivity – similar to earthquake warnings or power outages.