• A squadron of F-16 jets roars past Taichung’s skyscrapers.
• They drown out traffic and construction noise.
• Planes disappear below the fog that typically blankets Taiwan’s second-largest metropolis.

A squadron of F-16 jets roars past Taichung’s skyscrapers, drowning out traffic and construction noise.

Planes disappear below the fog that typically blankets Taiwan’s second-largest metropolis. A group of Chinese military aircraft has infiltrated Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the Taiwan Strait.

Tensions between Taiwan and China reached a boiling point when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited on August 2. Since then, Beijing has moved its military jets farther and deeper into Taiwan’s ADIZ.

Hsin Song, 27, a chef and former soldier, is on the street seeking F-16s. Jet engines above Taichung don’t worry her.

“I feel more confident knowing our fighters can block Chinese airspace incursions,” she remarked.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Hsin Song believes China would do the same with Taiwan.

She believes Taiwan’s entire military must be prepared to face China.

“Taiwanese must be prepared.”

Hsin Song isn’t the only one concerned about China’s Taiwan aspirations.

Experts and Taiwanese share the same fear, according to polls.

The US Department of Defense ranked China as “the most consequential and systemic danger to national security and a free and open international system” in its annual China Military Power Report released in November.

Fang-Yu Chen studies Taiwan, China, and US politics at Soochow University in Taipei. According to him, China’s heavy-handed approach to Taiwan is causing uneasiness.

“Chinese intimidation of Taiwan rose during the 2016 Taiwanese presidential election and has increased since culminating this year with major military drills near Taiwan after Nancy Pelosi’s visit,” said Fang-Yu Chen.

Undermining Hong Kong’s free system in 2019 and 2020 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown the Taiwanese that certain inconceivable disasters can happen.

Private Taiwanese organizations and actors are preparing for conflict, fearing the unthinkable.

Robert Tsao is one of them.

Tsao is an ardent China hawk who criticizes the CCP’s treatment of Taiwan and accuses Taiwanese politicians of being too weak on China.

Leading up to last month’s Taiwanese local elections, which the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost, he warned that victory for the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party could delay efforts to secure modern weapons for Taiwan’s defense from the US.

Tsao wasn’t always anti-China.

In 2011, he surrendered his Taiwanese citizenship and fled to Singapore because Taiwanese law banned his semiconductor company from investing in China. He advocated Taiwan’s unification with China at the time.

The tycoon’s story shows how significantly Taiwanese attitudes toward China have shifted in the past 10 years, from business and peaceful integration to decoupling and combating pressure.

Tsao confirmed his Taiwanese citizenship in early September. At the same time, he offered to donate $100.17 million to boost Taiwan’s defenses in response to military drills the previous month that ringed the island.

Part of the money went to Kuma Academy, a civil defense training organization created by professor Puma Shen and activist Ho Cheng-Hui.

Shen and Ho educate learners on how to battle internet misinformation, identify a Chinese soldier, provide first aid, and staunch bleeding through Kuma Academy.

Most Taiwanese residents don’t know what to expect or what to do if a Chinese invasion occurs, Ho told Al Jazeera.

“We started Kuma to give Taiwanese civilians means to act before, during, and after a military action.”

Ho expects the classes will teach Taiwanese that resisting China involves the island’s entire society.

“We don’t teach or encourage violence, but we teach people how to defend themselves and each other so if conflict breaks out, everyone knows their role.”

Chen of Soochow University says civilians want more war preparation seminars. Few options existed until recently.

Kuma Academy started training in September.

When we open online booking for classes, only a few hours pass, Ho remarked.

They want to grow from Taipei to Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Taichung.

Yuchi Pao, 29, from Taichung, trained at Kuma Academy in November. She thought the war wouldn’t happen in her lifetime. The Ukraine war altered her mind.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, I’ve felt I should know more about Taiwan’s defense in case of war.

After taking the Kuma class, she feels more aware of how citizens might resist pro-Chinese online influence and how she can help in a conflict.

She feels more Taiwanese should prepare for a Chinese attack.

Former soldier Hsin Song thinks preparing people for war should be a civic duty for all Taiwanese.

Traffic commotion and building noise now dominate Taichung’s soundscape.

Hsin Song stares at the F-16s and Taiwan Strait.

“Be ready for a conflict that never comes than unprepared for one that does,” she added.