Taiwan's Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo has praised the armed forces for their exceptional performance during the Han Kuang military exercises, the longest-ever live-fire drills held in the country's history, according to Taipei Times.
Taiwan's military held intense Han Kuang drills simulating a Chinese river invasion, using live explosives for the first time. The exercises aimed to boost defense readiness and deter Beijing amid rising threats. Troops also responded to a mock drone attack, highlighting concerns over China'
China's increased military activity near Taiwan ahead of the Han Kuang drills drew U.S. criticism, calling it destabilising. Taiwan detected 41 Chinese aircraft and tracked a carrier rocket. The U.S. urged China to avoid provocation and reiterated support for Taiwan's security.
According to Taipei Times, this year's drills began with continuous computer-simulated war games, utilizing the US-made Joint Theater Level Simulation platform. The live-fire segment of the exercises will take place from July 9 to 18.
A father and son from Taiwan, surnamed Huang, were sentenced to eight years in prison for leaking sensitive military information about Taiwan's annual Han Kuang drills to China. The duo, recruited by Chinese intelligence in 2015, enlisted two Taiwanese military officers, Yeh and Su, who prov
The drills, coordinated by the Ministry of National Defence's Joint Operations Command Center, kicked off at 6 am, marking the 40th edition of the event.