Tamsui/Taoyuan: Taiwan launched its annual Han Kuang war games on Monday, starting with anti-landing drills on a strategic river. This year’s exercises are designed to closely simulate actual combat scenarios, eschewing scripted elements to focus on realistic responses to a potential Chinese invasion.
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory despite the island’s democratic governance, has intensified its military exercises around Taiwan over the past four years to pressure Taipei into accepting Beijing’s sovereignty claim. In response, Taiwan’s drills this year have eliminated mostly ceremonial activities, such as scripted firepower demonstrations. Instead, the focus is on intensified nighttime operations and scenarios involving severed command lines.
The first day of the exercises took place in Tamsui, where soldiers practiced deploying mines and nets to thwart enemy landings, crucial for defending Taipei. “We are trying our best to slow them down as much as possible,” said military officer Chang Chih-pin, referring to the hypothetical enemy attempting to land via rubber boats in the Tamsui River. “The slower they move, the better for us,” he added.
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In Taoyuan, near Taipei and home to Taiwan’s primary international airport, reservists assembled for their wartime duties, and civilian vehicles were repurposed for supply transport. On Thursday, Taoyuan airport will close for an hour for the drills, though a potential typhoon might delay the exercise.
Taiwan’s defense ministry also released footage of air force fighter jets at the Hualien air base, which features mountain-carved hangars to shield aircraft from aerial attacks. Live fire drills will occur only on Taiwan’s outlying islands, including Kinmen and Matsu, which have historical significance from Cold War-era skirmishes.
The five-day war games coincide with the Wan’an civil defense drills, where major cities will conduct evacuations for half an hour during a simulated Chinese missile strike, with test alarms sounding on mobile phones. Drill scenarios include setting up contingency command lines after existing ones are destroyed and dispersing Chinese forces attempting to land on Taiwan’s western coast.
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China conducted its own war games around Taiwan shortly after President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration in May, labeling the exercises as “punishment” for what Beijing deemed separatist rhetoric. Additionally, China has engaged in grey zone warfare against Taiwan, employing irregular tactics to keep Taiwan on constant alert without escalating to open combat. This includes near-daily air force missions near Taiwanese airspace.
China has not ruled out the use of force to assert control over Taiwan. President Lai, who maintains that only the Taiwanese people can determine their future, has repeatedly proposed talks but has been consistently rebuffed by Beijing.
