Taiwan Civilians Undergo 'Warrior' Training To Prepare For Possible Chinese Invasion

Dozens of Taiwanese citizens are now undergoing "warrior" training in preparation for a possible invasion of Chinese troops, according to a report.

The "warrior" training is a one-day course where Taiwanese participants are taught about cross-strait geopolitics and strategy, invasion scenarios and disinformation. Trainees, dubbed citizen warriors, are also taught to spot the difference between the uniforms of the Taiwanese army and the Chinese army as well as how to tie a tourniquet, according to The Guardian.

The one-day course was made possible following a 1 billion Taiwan dollar donation ($31.5 million) from Robert Tsao, the founder of United Microelectronics Corp (UMC), Taiwan's second-largest chip manufacturer. The program aims to train three million citizens and 300,000 sharpshooters within the next three years.

The program comes after China in August threatened it would use its military to annex self-governing Taiwan. The threat was prompted by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

"[Beijing will] work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification," China said in a statement at the time, as translated by VOA News. "We will always be ready to respond with the use of force or other necessary means to interference by external forces or radical action by separatist elements. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the prospects of China's peaceful reunification and advance this process."

Meanwhile, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to give a speech Monday where she will pledge to reaffirm Taiwan's "position on maintaining regional peace" and the "uniting the morale of the people." Additionally, the leader is expected to "elaborate on efforts to strengthen national defense combat power and resilience," a source with knowledge of her speech told Reuters.

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province instead of a self-governed island. However, Taiwan sees itself as a distinct territory from China, with its own constitution and elected leaders.

Taiwan first came under full Chinese control in the 17th century under the Qing Dynasty. However, the territory later came under the control of the Japanese government during the first Sino-Japanese war.

China reclaimed Taiwan in 1945 after World War II but lost control of the island after a civil war erupted in mainland China between the nationalist government forces led by Chiang Kai-shek and the communist party led by Mao Zedong.