Taiwan’s military tests defences against mainland China invasion in annual war games
- Five-day drill began with simulated PLA missile attacks targeting command centres, airports and military bases, source says
- This year’s exercise will see new battalions, reservists and other special forces taking part for the first time amid increasing intimidation from Beijing
Taiwan’s military has begun five days of live-fire war games putting its defences to the test against a mainland invasion, as Beijing and Washington step up their sabre-rattling in the region.
Chief of the General Staff Huang Shu-kuang kicked off the annual drill – dubbed Han Kuang – on Monday, giving orders from the self-ruled island’s top command centre in Taipei.
“We are testing the preservation capabilities of our forces in such a scenario and how ready our reserve forces would be,” said the source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Beijing considers Taiwan to be a part of China that must be returned to the mainland fold – by force if necessary. It has repeatedly threatened to attack the island since Tsai Ing-wen, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, was elected president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle.
Taiwan’s massive underground Chiashan airbase in Hualien, strategically located on the island’s east coast, was a key part of the drill so far, the military source said. Mirage 2000 and F-16 fighter jets as well as P-3C anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft were sent to the airbase, where they were examined and had their weapons unloaded. They will remain there until they are needed for combat, along with other key personnel and equipment sent to the airbase on C-130 transport planes.