President Lai Ching-te today visited the Yuping Post Office in Tainan to observe the "2025 Nationwide Defense Resilience Committee Field Exercise: Expanding Emergency Medical Locations." During his visit, President Lai expressed his appreciation to all participants involved in the exercise and preparation efforts. He also emphasized the importance of promoting future collaboration between central and local governments, leveraging civil forces, integrating cross-regional resources, and involving communities and civil organizations in nationwide defense resilience exercises.
Upon arrival, the President was briefed on the exercise’s objectives and operations, including the setup of emergency medical locations. He then proceeded to observe various field operation areas, including the medical command center, regional coordination centers, mobile police stations, triage and emergency treatment zones, advanced surgical teams, and disaster psychological health units.
In his speech, President Lai noted that this exercise marks the first field drill conducted by the Nationwide Defense Resilience Committee. This scenario-based, unscripted exercise focused on "Expanding Emergency Medical Locations," with over 1,500 participants from central and local governments and private sector organizations. The President highlighted the professionalism displayed by all participants, which was a direct result of their regular training and preparedness.
“Today’s success not only reflects the dedication and professionalism of all participants but also demonstrates several principles that we hope to continue promoting: first, close collaboration between central and local governments, as evidenced by the joint efforts of the Presidential Office, the Nationwide Defense Resilience Committee, and the Tainan City Government; second, the involvement of civil forces, including organizations such as the Tzu Chi Foundation, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, the Mustard Seed Mission and Show Ba Department Store Ltd.; third, the integration of cross-regional resources, with participation from Chiayi and Kaohsiung; and finally, the autonomous actions of community groups and volunteers, including the Huweiliao Volunteer Rescue Team, Songan Floods Community Recovery Shinan Resilience Community, Kainan Community and the Anping District,” President Lai said.
He further expressed his gratitude to Premier Cho Jung-tai for leading the team, as well as Minister of the Interior Liu Shih-fang and Minister Without Portfolio Chi Lien-cheng, who served as deputy advisors for the exercise. He also acknowledged the efforts of Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che and his city government team for their unwavering commitment.
Additionally, President Lai acknowledged the crucial contributions of local medical personnel from institutions such as Chi Mei Hospital and National Cheng Kung University Hospital, along with other regional hospitals, clinics, and the involvement of volunteer police, firefighters, and traffic personnel.
Since taking office, President Lai has emphasized the importance of national defense resilience, establishing the Nationwide Defense Resilience Committee at the Presidential Office. Building upon the tabletop exercise held in December 2024, today’s small-scale field drill is a key step in strengthening Taiwan’s societal resilience. Looking ahead, the government plans to conduct additional exercises in April focused on town-level preparedness, ensuring Taiwan is ready to effectively respond to natural disasters, major accidents, or potential geopolitical shifts.
“As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure,’” President Lai concluded. “By preparing in advance, we can mitigate potential harm and safeguard the well-being of our citizens. Our collective efforts will ensure Taiwan's security and contribute to achieving long-term peace.”
The event was also attended by senior officials, including Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an, National Security Council Secretary-General Wu Chao-hsieh, Minister of the Interior Liu Shih-fang, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che, and several diplomatic representatives from foreign missions in Taiwan.