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Taiwan’s war games begin with response to simulated PLA biochemical attack
- The island’s annual Han Kuang live-fire drills test its ability to defend itself against a possible military attack by Beijing
- Drills follow report that officials visited the United States for high-level defence and security talks
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Taiwan has launched its most important annual war games to test its defences in the event of conflict with mainland China.
The five-day Han Kuang live-fire drills began on Monday, days after senior officials from the island reportedly visited the United States for high-level defence and security talks.
Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have shown no sign of abating, with mainland China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sending warplanes to Taiwan’s air defence identification zone almost daily to ramp up pressure on the self-ruled island, which Beijing views as its territory.
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The drills, which will include exercises at offshore islets, began with a test of the Taiwanese military’s coordinated medical ability to respond to simulated biochemical attacks from the PLA, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry.
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Ministry officials said the forces would also be tested on their ability to preserve their combat strength in response to a simulated first strike from the PLA.
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