Malfunctions, overreactions and a steep learning curve: wargaming a Chinese attack on Taiwan

Reservists participate in an urban combat training exercise in Taipei last week as part of a series of war games in Taiwan based on a potential attack by China. Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images

A series of war games in Taiwan has highlighted significant vulnerabilities in how the island and its supporters would respond to a Chinese annexation attempt, as well as growing questions over how much reliance can be placed on the volatile Trump administration.

Last week former senior military and government officials from the US, Japan, and Taiwan convened in Taipei for a tabletop exercise, led by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation. The event was described as the first civilian-led military simulation held in Taiwan, testing responses to a hypothetical attempt by China to annex the territory.