How Taiwan plans to strategically use its 13K 7-Elevens in wartime if China attacks the island

Taiwan could one day give new meaning to the slogan “Oh, thank heaven for 7-Eleven.”The Taiwanese government is considering using the convenience stores as wartime hubs in the event of a Chinese attack on the island.The country’s more than 13,000 7-Elevens would store rations and medical supplies for the Taiwanese people under the scenario being considered, four people familiar with the discussions told The Guardian.Citizens would also be able to send messages through the stores’ emergency hotspots, as internet service to the island would likely be cut off, and government messages would be faxed over and put up on the windows for people to read.China has been claiming the self-ruled island as part of its territory, and in recent years ramped up aggressive military drills in the Taiwan Strait — including one just last week after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed to counter Beijing’s “aggression” during his first trip to Asia. Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, and a team that includes 27 senior cabinet and national security ministers have met three times so far to consider various war scenarios and disasters — even conducting a live drill last week in preparation.The idea to use 7-Elevens as wartime resources doesn’t come completely out of the blue — they were utilized during the pandemic and frequently when the country has faced earthquakes.Much of the war preparation would build off of previous work done at the locations.Analysts say China is not yet capable of a full-scale invasion of Taiwan, but is inching closer.

Taiwanese government officials meanwhile have rejected Beijing’s claims of sovereignty and warned that it is fully capable of defending itself. ...