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According to one participant, nothing was moving in the simulation, before one specific nation stepped in.
According to one participant, nothing was moving in the simulation, before one specific nation stepped in.
What is happening?
In April, a simulation at a Singapore hotel imagined China blockading Taiwan.
Around 40 officials, officers, and scholars tested how Southeast Asia might react to one million nationals stranded on the island, Reuters report.
Searching for a way out
Some players pushed The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) unity, while others sought deals with U.S., Chinese, and Japanese delegates.
They soon agreed: without Singapore, a large-scale evacuation would be unlikely.
Singapore steps in at the Eleventh Hour
“Nothing was moving until the Singaporeans stepped in,” one participant said, according to Reuters.
Using access to Taiwan’s airfields, they planned to extract their citizens—and offered to help others.
A reflection of real-World tensions
The exercise mirrored U.S.-China rivalry. Though unofficial, it drew on the positions of nine governments, including Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Analysts warn that a Chinese assault on Taiwan could quickly pull in other nations, creating both military and humanitarian crises.
The human factor
About 94% of Taiwan’s foreign nationals are from Southeast Asia, mostly Indonesians, Vietnamese, and Filipinos.
A blockade would leave them stranded in a tense standoff.
Official responses and denials
Singapore said it had no role in the event.
China reiterated opposition to any military ties with Taiwan.
The U.S. denied formal involvement, but stressed contingency readiness.
Why Singapore matters in a Taiwan crisis
Since 1975, “Project Starlight” has rotated thousands of Singaporean troops through Taiwan for training, giving the city-state a strategic vantage point.
Up to 3,000 soldiers rotate annually through training camps that mimic Southeast Asian terrain.
Strategic balancing act
Singapore balances close ties to both China and analysts say ending Taiwan training could upset the region’s delicate strategic balance.
Still, in a real conflict, Singaporean troops in Taiwan could become both a liability and a bargaining chip.
Evacuations as Diplomacy
Beijing might allow ASEAN evacuations to maintain goodwill and keep the region neutral during a Taiwan crisis, analysts suggest.
Lessons beyond the simulation
One scholar warns that without real networks in Taiwan, evacuation plans may fail.
Singapore has them. The Philippines is building them. Others lag behind.
