באיי פנגהו של טייוואן, הקרובים מאוד לסין, מתכוננים לתרחיש הגרוע ביותר

Preparation for the worst-case scenario is underway on Taiwan's Penghu Islands. Troops and civilians are preparing together for what could become the front line of a Chinese attack on Taiwan. We look at how this strategically important archipelago is strengthening its defenses from live-fire military drills to civil defense programs and mock wartime repair exercises. On Taiwan's Penghu Islands, preparations for a potential conflict with China are extending beyond military bases. At Ho Chi Wa's local auto workshop, civilian mechanics worked alongside Taiwanese soldiers, practicing emergency repairs on military vehicles. Maintaining vehicle readiness during peacetime is intended to ensure that, should the unfortunate event of a war ever arise, the military's maintenance capabilities and those of the civilian sector can be brought together, providing sufficient deterrence to prevent external threats from endangering us. The drills are part of broader efforts to strengthen Penghu's resilience. The archipelago sits roughly 30 miles off Taiwan's west coast in the Taiwan Strait, between Taiwan and China. Military experts and Taiwanese officials say the islands would likely face the first wave of any Chinese invasion attempt. That strategic location makes Penghu a key defensive outpost. Su Zhu Yan is a director at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research. Penghu is effectively Taiwan's midway island, and the same applies from the perspective of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. If the PLA tried to attack Taiwan while bypassing Penghu, its rear could be struck by missiles from Penghu. That forces the PLA to attack Penghu before it can attack Taiwan. Taiwan's defense ministry declined to comment on combat plans for Penghu. A Chinese defense ministry spokesperson told reporters earlier this year that Taiwan's plans to fortify the islands were increasingly absurd and delusional, and that Taipei faced total destruction if it provoked war. During Taiwan's annual Han Kuang exercises earlier this month, troops rehearsed defending the islands against an amphibious assault. Before dawn, soldiers loaded ammunition into guns and tanks and prepared armored vehicles for a drill. As daylight broke, tanks and artillery fired toward targets at sea. But military preparations are only one part of Taiwan's efforts to strengthen Penghu's defenses. Hussie Township Chief Chen Chien-cheng says residents are being encouraged to prepare for emergencies, stock supplies, and support civil defense efforts. We all need to prepare drinking water at home, as well as dry goods, canned food and other supplies. At the very least, I tell them they should have enough for more than half a month. We absolutely need to have a sense of crisis. For now, Penghu is best known as a tourist destination, drawing visitors to its beaches and temples. But as tensions across the Taiwan Strait persist, both soldiers and civilians here are preparing for the possibility that these islands could one day become Taiwan's front line.