Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military exercises are set to begin in the spring, with sources saying that the duration of the drills might be extended again.
In July last year, the military’s 41st annual exercises involved 10 days and nine nights of live-troop drills, compared with previous drills that lasted seven days and six nights or five days and four nights.
Last year’s exercises incorporated additional response measures to “gray zone” harassment and continued the “no spoilers” approach introduced the previous year, testing the ability of personnel at all levels to respond to unexpected situations.
Photo: I-Hwa Cheng, AFP
An official with knowledge of the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, yesterday said that after assessing last year’s training outcomes, the military might further extend the duration of this year’s Han Kuang No. 42 live-troop exercise.
How many additional days would be added and which training components would be included are still under deliberation, sources said.
Unscripted simulated engagements would again be a prominent feature of this year’s drills to emphasize the importance of being able to respond flexibly and proportionately to China’s “gray zone” tactics, the sources added.
The Ministry of National Defense’s Military News Agency reported that the Fifth Combat Theater Command, which is responsible for military operations in central Taiwan, including Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin and Chiayi counties, held a meeting on Monday for the command staff of the subordinate units participating in the upcoming exercises.
Fifth Combat Theater Command head Army Lieutanent General Shao Chih-chun (邵智君) instructed staff at the meeting to review the threat environment, increase troop readiness and make detailed plans, the report said.
Commanders were enjoined to seize the initiative, make full use of terrain features and ensure the capability of units to deftly redeploy to different positions to meet the demands of real war, it said.
Subordinate commands were reminded about the importance of operational security and dedication to duty in the face of the threat from Chinese espionage and informational warfare activities.
In related news, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) yesterday reaffirmed the importance of the military reserves to national resilience at an event on promoting and commending government personnel tasked with counseling reservists.
Reservists must exemplify patriotism and dedication to duty to fulfill their crucial role as an indispensable force in national defense and societal resilience, Koo said at the event held in New Taipei City.
The national defense policy’s emphasis on all-of-society defense resilience concept is aimed at dealing with a complex security picture consisting of China’s “gray zone” threats, cognitive warfare and natural disaster risks, he said.
The contribution of the military reserves is an essential component alongside local governments and civil society in the nation’s quest to achieve resilience, he said.
Civil servants working in organizations counseling reservists need to cultivate deep roots in local communities to facilitate the rapid mobilization of reservists and maintain civilian morale, he said.
Reservist counseling organizations should continue to communicate with the public on the nation’s defense reform goals to enhance their capability to support a comprehensive array of national defense tasks, Koo said.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS