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Players Invited to Imagine Chinese Invasion in New Taiwanese Board Game


Analysts say that it is essential to raise Taiwanese citizens’ awareness and vigilance against the looming invasion threat from communist China.

A new board game, set against the backdrop of a hypothetical war between China and Taiwan, is scheduled for release in January 2025 amidst the looming invasion threats from the Chinese communist regime.

The game, called 2045 and developed by Taiwanese board game maker Mizo Games, portrays potential scenarios of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan 20 years into the future. Players take on various roles in the imaginary war, including Taiwanese army officers, Chinese sleeper agents, pro-China politicians working to undermine the island’s defense, and volunteer citizen fighters protecting their homeland.

In recent years, China has significantly escalated its military activities near Taiwan. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is the last territory of the republic established in 1911 in China. After the defeat by the communists in China’s civil war, the ROC’s nationalist government retreated to Taiwan in 1949. Subsequently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) established a communist regime in mainland China known as the People’s Republic of China (PRC). While the CCP has never governed Taiwan, it claims sovereignty over the island and has not ruled out its forcible annexation.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te and the Taiwanese government have vehemently opposed China’s sovereignty claims, affirming that only the Taiwanese people have the right to determine their future.

In December, China deployed numerous warships and coast guard vessels into the waters surrounding Taiwan, along with more than 50 military aircraft flying near the island. Despite these maneuvers, the Chinese regime did not formally announce any military exercises.

Given the threat of a military invasion, Chang Shao Lian, the founder of Mizo Games, stated to Reuters that he intends for players to strategize and contemplate actions needed for victory.

A television series from Taiwan titled “Zero Day,” which also depicts a fictional invasion scenario by China, is set to premiere in 2025.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese officials are gearing up for various scenarios in the Taiwan Strait, including potential armed conflict with China.

Taiwan’s Presidential Office conducted its inaugural “tabletop exercises” on December 26, simulating a military escalation with the communist regime. These exercises involved central and local government agencies along with civilian observers.

The exercises aimed to evaluate and strengthen the readiness and resilience of Taiwan’s government agencies and civil society in handling crises, according to official sources.

Chung Chih-tung, an assistant research fellow at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, emphasized to The Epoch Times on December 31 that entertainment products play a crucial role in “enhancing citizens’ awareness and vigilance, while the military remains prepared for conflict.”

The creation of the game 2045 indicates that ordinary Taiwanese citizens are deeply concerned about China’s military threat and are utilizing various methods to bolster the resolve of the Taiwanese people to combat the adversary, as stated by Shen Ming-shih, director of the Division of National Security Research at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research.

“Both government and private sector entities are now actively involved in defense and war preparedness activities,” he added.

Potential Invasion Scenarios

Shen expressed to The Epoch Times that he believes the likelihood of China invading Taiwan in the near future, like in 2027, has decreased due to China’s economic slowdown, military corruption, and potential U.S. intervention in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan…uniform-my-5″>However, Shen cautioned that the Chinese regime may engage in various gray zone operations against Taiwan instead, such as conducting high-intensity military exercises around Taiwan, infiltrations, and sabotage on the island, particularly targeting critical infrastructure affecting people’s daily lives. He advocated for bolstering Taiwan’s capability to counter such actions from China.

Chung echoed a similar sentiment, suggesting that while a CCP invasion of Taiwan’s main island might not be immediately plausible, incursions into Taiwan’s outer islands, such as Kinmen, Matsu, Pratas Islands, and Itu Aba Island, remain a possibility. “This still constitutes a military conflict, albeit on a different scale,” he remarked.

The board game 2045 will also be available in the U.S. and European markets later in 2025.

Luo Ya and Reuters contributed to this report.



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