Taiwan defends against Chinese invasion
China threatens Taiwan repeatedly to enforce "Reunification" even with military means. The island republic is preparing itself and conducting a drill. During the annual military drill, the focus is mainly on the protection of the capital Taipei and critical infrastructure in the north of Taiwan.
Against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with China, Taiwan's armed forces are conducting a five-day military drill to test readiness for an invasion.
During this year's "Han Kuang" exercise, the ability to protect critical infrastructure in Taipei's capital city in the north of Taiwan and improve the resistance capability of the country's key infrastructure will be tested, the Defense Ministry announced.
This is the 40th time the exercise is taking place. It is the largest military drill of the Taiwan military. In the context of the exercises, jet fighters of the Air Force were moved to eastern Air Force bases Hualien and Taitung to simulate an invasion, the Defense Ministry reported.
The first "Han Kuang" exercise took place on June 23, 1984 in Penghu. With different annual focal points, it aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of the country. Critics view the annual exercises more as a media-effective action for the public than focusing on actual warfare capabilities.
Since the political split between mainland China and Taiwan in 1949, Beijing has regarded the democratically self-governing island as a renegade territory that it intends to reunite with. Beijing claims Taiwan for itself, even though the country with over 23 million inhabitants has had a democratically elected government for decades. China wants reunification, if necessary, with military means.
China has threatened to enforce reunification several times with military means. To warn and intimidate neighbors, China holds military drills regularly near Taiwan, and has intensified its activities in recent years. In recent years, the presence of Chinese warships and military aircraft around Taiwan has significantly increased.
The United States of America, being a key ally of Taiwan, frequently expresses its concern over China's threats to Taiwan's sovereignty, particularly in Asian political arenas.
Despite being isolated diplomatically by many countries due to China's pressure, Taiwan continues to maintain strong economic ties with countries in Asia and beyond, including Japan and South Korea.
The military drills conducted in Taiwan, such as the annual "Han Kuang" exercise, not only serve to prepare for potential threats from China but also strengthen the country's partnerships with other Asian democracies, like Japan and South Korea.
