To discuss evacuation strategies in case the US-China dispute worsens, a coalition of Filipino groups in Taiwan will virtually meet with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) on 6 August, one of the coalition’s members said.
Although things are “normal” in Taiwan, the secretary-general of Filcom Taiwan Northern Mercedita Kuan, said in an interview on Saturday that anxiety still pervades the country.
“We have anxieties that’s why we have a Zoom meeting with MECO on how we will evacuate ourselves in case there is really China’s threat on Taiwan,” Kuan said.
The unofficial conduit between the Philippines and Taiwan, MECO, is a nonprofit organization with the “authority to undertake activities typically performed by Philippine foreign missions, but of a non-political, non-security type.”
On Saturday, Taiwan Defense Ministry said flares were shot late on Friday to warn away seven drones flying over its outer Kinmen Islands and unidentified aircraft flying over its outlying Matsu Islands.
After Beijing began extensive military exercises this week in reaction to a visit to Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the ministry reported that troops in both of the locations, which are just off the coast of mainland China, were on high alert.