Taiwan rolls out Civil Defence groups ready for Chinese invasion

Taiwan ‘has to be realistic’ and prepare for a Chinese invasion of the independent nation, a local activist has said. Freddy Lim, a politician and lead vocalist of the Taiwanese heavy-metal band Chthonic, told reporters that there were ‘plenty of young people’ joining Civil Defence groups in Taiwan in an effort to ready themselves for an invasion. Mr Lim said the war in Ukraine had shown how ‘crazy’ autocratic Governments and leaders can be and suggested the Taiwanese people have been ‘inspired by Ukraine’ in its defence of its country. The musician’s comments come as US President Joe Biden attempts to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time in person since assuming office in 2020. They will discuss ongoing IndoPacific tensions and the dangers involved in a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Mr Lim said: ‘After the Russian invasion of Ukraine this year, there are plenty of young people joining the Civil Defence groups because we have just realised that the responsibility to protect the country is not just the military’s responsibility, it is everyone’s responsibility. ‘So, I can see that a lot of people were inspired by Ukraine. I am quite optimistic about the future of this country because of how the young people show their attitude.’ Asked if he would ‘pick up a weapon’ should China invade, Mr Lim said: ‘Definitely. I’m older than 45 so I am not at an age where I can be called up by the military anymore.’I joined the Civil Defence to learn what I can do. I did not know that terrorist Governments could be that crazy but this year look at what Putin is doing. They are crazier than we thought, so we have to be realistic.’  Taiwan locals take place in shooting drills as part of Civil Defence Groups (Image: AP Photo/Wu Taijing) Taiwan politician Freddy Lim said he would pick up a weapon and fight for his country (Image: YOUTUBE )President Biden said on Wednesday he plans at an anticipated meeting with President Xi to discuss growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over the self-ruled island of Taiwan. The White House has said it is working with Chinese officials to arrange a meeting between Biden and Xi on the sidelines of next week’s Group of 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, but the two sides have not confirmed the meeting will take place.Mr Biden told reporters at a White House news conference that he had much to discuss with Xi as US-Chinese relations have grown more fraught in recent months.’What I want to do with him when we talk is lay out what each of our red lines are and understands what he believes to be in the critical national interests of China, what I know to be the critical interests of the United States,” Mr Biden said. ‘And determine whether or not they conflict with one another.’Xi’s government has criticised the Biden administration’s posture toward Taiwan – which Beijing looks to eventually unify with the communist mainland – as undermining China’s territorial integrity.READ MORE: UK’s Hands sparks China fury as trade minister travels to Taiwan [REVEAL]  US President Joe Biden is hoping to meet with Xi Jinping to discuss Taiwan (Image: GETTY ) Ukraine soldiers have inspired Taiwan citizens in their potential fight against China (Image: GETTY )Tensions over Taiwan have grown since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August.Biden said that he’s ‘not willing to make any fundamental concessions’ about the United States’ Taiwan doctrine.Under its ‘One China’ policy, the United States recognizes the government in Beijing while allowing for informal relations and defence ties with Taipei. It takes a stance of ‘strategic ambiguity’ toward the defence of Taiwan – leaving it open to whether it would respond militarily were the island attacked.Biden caused a stir in Asia in May when at a news conference in Tokyo, said ‘yes’ when asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded. The White House and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were quick to clarify that there was no change in US policy.DON’T MISS: Chinese insider warns of ‘total war’ if Australia ‘threatens force’ [REVEAL] ‘West’s failure to crush Putin makes China Taiwan war more likely’ [INSIGHT] Xi ‘putting pieces in place’ to stop US from preventing Taiwan attack [REPORT]  Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses his military on Tuesday (Image: GETTY )Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as an encouragement to make the island’s decades-old de facto independence permanent, a step U.S. leaders say they don’t support. Ms Pelosi is the highest-ranking elected American official to visit since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997.The anticipated Biden-Xi meeting would be the first between the leaders of the world’s biggest economies since Biden became president in January 2021.Taiwanese officials have in the past month suggested that a Chinese invasion is now a matter of ‘if, not when’. READ NEXT: Putin hails ‘close friend’ Xi and supports claim to TaiwanRanting Putin says West aims to ‘wipe Russia off the map”China moving chess pieces for attack on Taiwan’Biden insider begs Xi to resume climate talks as COP27 loomsCalls for the US and China to ‘work together’ on climate change