The nation’s annual Han Kuang military exercises this year are to incorporate lessons learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to sharpen combat preparedness against a possible Chinese invasion, the military said yesterday.
The 38th edition of the Han Kuang exercises aim to test the armed forces’ ability to fight asymmetrically, combat cognitive warfare and mobilize reserve forces, as well as implement all-out defense by incorporating civilians, said Major General Lin Wen-huang (林文皇), who is in charge of planning at the Ministry of National Defense.
These are all lessons Taiwan has learned from Ukraine’s military performance amid a full-scale Russian invasion, he said.
Photo courtesy of Ministry of National Defense
The exercises would simulate eliminating invading forces at sea and along the coastline, as well as integrating reservists, police officers and civilian units, such as firefighters and volunteers, to ensure that the nation can unite to fend off an invasion, he added.
All drill participants are to follow COVID-19 disease prevention measures, such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing, he said.
As in previous years, this year’s exercises are to take place in two stages: war games and live-fire drills.
The war games are to be conducted around the clock from May 16 to 20, to simulate the military’s defense tactics against all possible scenarios of a Chinese invasion.
However, unlike previous years, the war games are not to be played on a computer, but on a table with physical war maps, Lin said.
The computerized format was dropped this year because using physical maps allows officers to discuss strategy face to face, which is better, a military source said.
The live-fire drills are to be held from July 25 to 29 at military installations across the nation.
The Han Kuang exercises, first held in 1984, are the nation’s largest military exercises and involve all branches of the armed forces to test the country’s combat readiness.
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