DRILL TO TEST ISLAND’S COMBAT READINESS

Taiwan will test the combat capability and the readiness of its forces to fight off an attack from the mainland in its annual Han Kuang war game, which starts next month.

Drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, its military will focus on testing the effectiveness of its asymmetric warfare in dealing with the more powerful People’s Liberation Army, according to the defence ministry.

It would also test all-out defence readiness after the invasion of Ukraine highlighted the importance of incorporating the regular armed forces, reservists and civilian forces in dealing with the enemy, Major General Lin Wen-huang, director of joint operations under the military’s planning office, said.

“The 38th edition of the Han Kuang drill will be divided into two stages, with the first being held on May 16-20 followed by a live-fire drill to be held on July 25-29,” Lin told a news conference in Taipei yesterday.

Instead of using the previous computerised simulation method, Lin said May’s war game would be held in the form of map exercise as it allowed generals to meet face-to-face to discuss strategy, which was better than using computers.

The military would then stage the live-fire drills in July based on the result of the simulation analyses, he said.

Lin said the military would also test the effectiveness of local forces in dealing with cognitive warfare launched by Beijing and mobilising reserve forces in working with civilian forces, including police, firefighters and volunteers, to form an all-out defence against the PLA in the event of a cross-strait conflict.

Military tactics to be tested included eliminating invading forces at sea and along the coastline; preserving combat forces for a counter-attack; and air, sea and homeland resistance, Lin said, adding the island’s coastguard would also be involved.

Military officials said portable Javelin and Stinger missiles, which have played an important role in destroying Russian tanks during the Ukraine war were expected to be used, while military drones would also be employed to test the island’s asymmetric warfare operation.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, yesterday criticised the island’s independenceleaning Democratic Progressive Party for trying to use an “outside force” to split the island from the mainland.