The Han Kuang or annual exercises, first held in 1984, are the nation’s largest military exercises designed to test the country’s combat readiness in the event of a Chinese invasion
Taiwanese tanks and self-propelled artillery take part in Han Kuang 2019.AFP
The first stage of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military exercises began on Monday.
This year, lessons from the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war will be incorporated in the drills, according to Taipei Times.
The Han Kuang or annual exercises, first held in 1984, are the nation’s largest military exercises involving all branches of the armed forces and designed to test the country’s combat readiness in the event of a Chinese invasion.
The island’s 23 million people live under constant threat of an invasion by China, which views the self-ruled democratic island as part of its territory to be re-taken one day, by force if necessary.
The threat perception from Beijing has worsened following Russia’s unilateral invasion of Ukraine in February. Experts are of the opinion that it could embolden China to attack Taiwan. The country had also raised it alert levels prompting Beijing to assert that ‘Taiwan is not Ukraine’.
However, China recently carried out a military drill from 3 to 9 May led by aircraft carrier Liaoning, close to south Japan and east Taiwan. Over the six days, more than 100 sorties were flown by the Chinese navy.
Han Kuang military exercises
Unlike previous editions, this year’s war games would not feature computer simulations and would instead involve physical maps, the ministry said. The computerised format was dropped because physical maps allow generals to meet face-to-face to discuss strategy and brainstorm ideas, according to a report by Taipei Times.
In the planning stage of the exercise, Major-General Lin Wen-huang told reporters, referring to the mainland Chinese army, “The defence ministry is closely monitoring, researching and analysing regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine as well as the Communist military’s movements.”
“We will take reference of the lessons from the Russian-Ukrainian war to continue to improve our capabilities in asymmetric warfare, cognitive warfare, electronic warfare and the reserve force,” added Lin, head of a military division on joint operations.
“Han Kuang” will be divided into a tabletop exercise… simulating “all possible actions (China) could take to invade Taiwan”, according to the defence ministry. According to South China Morning Post, the second part of the exercises, which involve live-fire drills based on the result of the simulation analyses will be held on 25 July, also for five days, according to Lin.
The report stated that portable Javelin and Stinger missiles, which have played an important role in destroying Russian tanks during the Ukraine war were expected to be used, while military drones will also be employed to test the island’s asymmetric warfare operation.
Rising hostilities
Beijing’s sabre-rattling has increased considerably since Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, as she rejects its stance that the island is part of China.
Last year, Taiwan recorded 969 incursions by Chinese warplanes into its air defence zone, according to AFP:more than double the roughly 380 in 2020. The number of sorties reached over 300 in the first four months this year.
With input from agencies
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