Taiwan expands Han Kuang military drills with urban resilience focus amid rising China threat

Taipei [Taiwan] June 26 (ANI): Taiwan's largest annual military exercises, known as the Han Kuang drills, will this year incorporate newly introduced Urban Resilience Exercises to evaluate the nation's comprehensive capability to succeed in a prolonged conflict with China, according to a report from Central News Agency (CNA).

Since 1984, the Han Kuang exercises have been Taiwan's primary military simulations, comprising live-fire drills and computer-based war games aimed at assessing the island's preparedness for a potential invasion by China, the report stated.

The military in Taiwan previously announced that the live-fire portion of this year's Han Kuang will be extended to 10 days, from July 9 to July 18, nationwide, which is twice the duration of previous exercises that typically lasted five days. Similar to 2024, this year's live-fire component will again be unscripted to evaluate troops' emergency response capabilities in continuous operational scenarios.

A notable aspect of this year's Han Kuang exercises includes a joint evacuation drill for the first time, conducted by the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of the Interior at major hypermarkets. This year's exercises will also assess Taiwan's strategy in sustaining a war of attrition against China, according to CNA.

The rationale behind merging the live-fire segment of the 2025 Han Kuang with civilian defence and Urban Resilience Exercises is to foster a holistic community approach to protecting Taiwan, the source noted. The Urban Resilience Exercises enable collaboration among central government agencies, ministries, and local authorities to improve overall local resilience and response capabilities, as stated by the Presidential Office, according to CNA.

These initiatives were initiated through the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, an advisory group created by the Presidential Office. The committee has committed to bolstering Taiwan's resilience by training civilian forces, securing vital resources, strengthening energy and critical infrastructure, and ensuring the ongoing operation of medical, transportation, information, and financial services, as cited by CNA. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)