Taiwan war games to focus on piercing blockade, preserving forces

Reuters:

TAIPEI, April 26 – Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military drills this year will focus on combating a blockade of the island and preserving the fighting ability of its forces, taking into account China’s recent war games, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up military pressure in the past three years to try to assert its sovereignty claim.

China practised precision strikes and blockades in drills around the island this month that were staged after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said the Han Kuang exercises would be split into two parts – tabletop drills from May 15-19, and mobilised forces from July 24-28 that will participate in live-fire exercises.

The focus will be on combat forces “preservation” and “maritime interception”, it said.