The Han Kuang exercises yesterday entered their eighth day with military units throughout the nation and across all services simulating escorting US vessels to Hualien and erecting makeshift defenses.
The ROCS Hsu Hai (旭海) landing dock participated in a simulation of US supply ships being escorted into Taiwanese ports by US carrier groups. It entered the Port of Hualien at 6am, where crew and staff practiced unloading cargo, such as supplies and fuel.
Two Tuo Chiang-class corvettes guarded the port, while the army’s Huadong Defense Command mobilized anti-air units around the harbor.
Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency
The simulation lasted six hours, with the ships departing at noon.
Military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US could provide support through the Port of Hualien with minimal risk in the event of war.
The 584th Armored Brigade conducted field repair simulations for the army’s CM-11 Brave Tiger main battle tanks at Taoyuan High School, where soldiers were seen operating the M88 recovery vehicle to help remove parts from the tanks to replace cooling fan blades.
Photo courtesy of the Military News Agency
The scenario included armored forces falling back from participating in a beachhead defense for repairs and rest. Stinger missiles carried by special forces featured identification, friend or foe devices to make the simulations as realistic as possible.
On the outlying islands, the Matsu Defense Command’s Beigao Garrison Force conducted drills defending against potential landings on Lienchiang County (Matsu), using CM-21 armored personnel carriers and tactical maneuvers.
Following simulations of defending airports and harbors against landing operations, infantry units in Penghu County practiced makeshift defenses, including setting up barriers and barbed wire in Magong, as well as simulating the evacuation of wounded personnel to the rear.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) visited Hualien to inspect the air force’s simulations of nighttime repairs using foldable fiberglass mats.
M109A5 howitzer artillery from the 586th Armored Brigade conducted nighttime operations on Tuesday night from the military’s Joint Operations Training Base in Pingtung, simulating the launching of suppressive barrages against an enemy.
The Aviation and Special Forces Command joined the simulation yesterday morning, simulating rapid strike deployment capabilities.
The drills were not part of the Han Kuang exercises, which are expected to conclude tomorrow.
Aircraft from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force entered Taiwan’s southwest air defense identification zone yesterday morning, before being driven away.
Meanwhile, the Urban Resilience Drill is to take place from 1:30pm to 2pm today in northern Taiwan, including Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, and Hsinchu county and city. People are advised to stay indoors during that period, while those who are outside at the time would be required to go to the nearest air-raid shelter or basement.
People who refuse to follow guidance to move indoors face a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 under the Civil Defense Act (民防法).
Additional reporting by You Tai-lang, Liu Yu-chieh, Aaron Tu, Yu Chao-fu, Liu Yu-ching, Tsai Tsung-hsien and Fang Wei-li
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS