The live-fire component of Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises are to begin today with a drill dedicated to testing the nation’s ability to defend critical supply lines in the event of an attempted blockade by China, while the four-day annual Wanan air defense exercise is to begin at 1:30pm in central Taiwan.
The 40th annual Han Kuang exercises are to run 24 hours a day nationwide from today to Friday, with an emphasis on testing Taiwan’s ability to protect critical infrastructure in the capital, Taipei, and enhance the resilience of key infrastructure nationwide, the Ministry of National Defense said.
However, it is also important that Taiwan continue to receive supplies from other countries and deliver them nationwide should a cross-strait war break out, a military source familiar with this year’s Han Kuang exercises said yesterday.
Photo courtesy of Military News Agency via CNA
Therefore, a drill aimed at testing cooperation between the military and civilians when carrying out wartime supply missions would be staged at a major port in Taiwan during the five-day drills, to ensure links to the outside world remain open in the event of a Chinese blockade, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The source would not name the port or say when the drill would be staged.
Other anonymous military sources confirmed that the drill would involve multiple branches of the government.
The armed forces have been regularly carrying out training activities focused on protecting key harbors and ports, as Beijing would prioritize shutting them down during an invasion, a military general said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Protecting harbors and ports, and supply missions would involve not only the military, but also the Maritime and Port Bureau, the Coast Guard Administration and other land transportation authorities, they said.
“That is why it is important to test cross-governmental cooperation in the upcoming Han Kuang exercises,” the general said.
Retired navy captain Jiang Hsin-biao (江炘杓), an academic in the field of defense, said that Taiwan is heavily dependent on maritime imports of crude oil, natural gas, coal and steel, as well as other strategic supplies.
“It is therefore important to make sure delivery of such key supplies would continue as normal if a war broke out,” he said.
Such a task is extremely complicated and involves coordination between the navy and maritime transport firms, he said, adding that Taiwan has not conducted such large-scale drills for a long time.
The defense ministry announced that, during the Han Kuang exercises, it plans to launch “news anchors” created using artificial intelligence (AI) that can speak 18 different languages.
This use of AI technology would enhance communication with the international community by sharing information related to Taiwan’s national defense situation, it said in a statement.
Air force fighter jets deployed in the western part of Taiwan would today be dispatched to Hualien Air Base in the east while simulating an invasion, the ministry said.
This would be done to ensure that the main backbone of the nation’s fighter jets in western Taiwan, which is closer to China, could also maintain a state of combat readiness in eastern Taiwan, it said.
All of Taiwan’s large naval vessels would leave their home ports early today and travel to designated locations in preparation for training simulations involving scenarios such as confronting enemy forces and deploying naval mines, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the 47th annual Wanan Exercises are to begin in central Taiwan today.
People in Taichung, Chiayi city and county, and Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou and Yunlin counties are required by law to comply with emergency air raid procedures between 1:30pm and 2pm today, the Ministry of the Interior said.
During the 30 minutes, air-raid sirens would go off and pedestrians must follow police instructions and enter the nearest air-raid shelter, it said.
Drivers must park and exit their vehicles, and seek refuge in the nearest air-raid shelter, while people who are at home, at work or in a public venue must shelter in place until the drill finishes, it said.
Those who breach the rules would face a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$150,000, it said.
The air raid drills are to take place at the same time in northern Taiwan tomorrow, in eastern Taiwan and outlying areas on Wednesday, and in southern Taiwan on Thursday.
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