Taiwan’s annual wargames exercise this year will simulate a scenario in which China turns one of its frequent military exercises around the island into an actual attack, according to the report.
Dong Chih-hsing, head of Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense’s Joint Combat Planning Division, made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday, according to Reuters. He added that the exercise will integrate sea, air, coast guard, drones and land-based anti-ship weapons to establish a “chain of attack and kill” at sea.
The Hankuan exercise will begin in April with eight days of tabletop training, followed by combat training in July, Reuters reported, citing the Defense Ministry.
“In addition, [we will] The news agency also quoted Tong as saying, “We will jointly carry out escort operations for naval, air, and coast guard vessels in a simulated blockade of Taiwan by China.”
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Soldiers disembark from an amphibious assault vehicle during Hanguang military exercises in Pingtung, Taiwan, July 2022. (Reuters/An Wang)
According to Reuters, China had blockaded Taiwan during military exercises in April last year.
Last week, on the same day that Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with President Biden, dozens of Chinese military aircraft and several naval vessels were reported to have flown around Taiwan.
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A Black Hawk helicopter prepares to land at Taoyuan International Airport in July 2023 as part of the annual Hanguang military exercise in Taoyuan, Taiwan. (Reuters/An Wang)
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said it “monitored the situation and used appropriate force in response.”
The White House announced that in a phone conversation with Xi on April 2, “President Biden emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.”
Mr. Dong Chih-hsing, director of the Joint Combat Program Bureau of Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, attends a press conference regarding the annual Hanguang military exercise in Taipei, Taiwan, April 9, 2024. (Reuters/Ben Blanchard)
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“The two leaders had a frank and constructive discussion on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including areas of cooperation and differences,” the White House added. “They reviewed progress on key issues, including counter-narcotics cooperation, continued military-to-military communications, consultations to address AI-related risks, and continued efforts on climate change and people-to-people exchanges. I encouraged it.”
Fox News’ Timothy HJ Nerozzi contributed to this report.
