Taiwan’s armed forces concluded today the annual Han Kuang military exercises, which were characterized by a greater emphasis on realistic combat scenarios in response to increased military pressure from China.
The exercises, conducted since 1984, aim to improve troop readiness against a potential invasion attempt by Beijing, which considers Taiwan an “inalienable part” of Chinese territory and does not rule out the use of force to take control of the island.
Over ten days and nine nights, the various branches of the armed forces carried out varied drills in coordination with the Coast Guard, government agencies, and the private sector, in line with President William Lai Ching-te’s commitment to involve all sectors of society in the territory’s defense.
Soldiers simulated, among other scenarios, the blockade of strategic tunnels and bridges, the repelling of amphibious landings, and the dispersal of weaponry production lines. The President himself participated in an emergency evacuation to a protected command post.
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Citizens participated in air raid drills that, this year, incorporated a controlled slowdown of the mobile data network in the central and northern regions to simulate a partial communications interruption in a war scenario.
The exercises included, on Wednesday, maritime counter-blockade maneuvers in the east of the island, which simulated the escort of a vessel carrying “important supplies.”
During the exercise, a Yushan-class amphibious transport dock ship, assuming the role of a merchant vessel, was guided into port by a group of Navy and Coast Guard vessels, according to a statement from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense.
“The Navy and the Coast Guard continue to deepen their coordinated cooperation, from responding to ‘gray-zone’ tactics to missions such as coastal defense strikes and counter-blockade escorts,” the ministry indicated.
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Maritime “gray-zone” tactics around Taiwan refer to China’s systematic use of non-military and paramilitary vessels—such as coast guard ships, maritime militias, and dredgers—to exert control and pressure Taiwan gradually without crossing the threshold of conventional armed conflict, says a report from the AP.
In another statement, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) noted that it was the first time both forces had cooperated in an exercise of this type, which demonstrated Taiwan’s determination to “preserve peace and stability” in the strait and the region.
The counter-blockade exercise also coincided with joint naval maneuvers between a Chinese frigate and an Indonesian frigate east of Taiwan—unprecedented exercises in the area that, according to Taipei, were intended to project the “false image” that Beijing exercises effective jurisdiction over those waters.
Growing alignment with the United States
Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military exercises have reflected a shifting defense posture focused on tactical adaptability and institutional alignment with the United States military, moving away from public firepower demonstrations toward practical battlefield readiness.
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The extensive live-fire maneuvers, conducted across the island, tested the armed forces’ capability to sustain round-the-clock defense operations and counter gray-zone pressure from Beijing. Defense analysts highlighted the integration of American tactical methodologies into the exercises, including specialized communication frameworks designed to empower frontline commanders and enhance unit autonomy during conflict scenarios.
