Taipei, Taiwan held its annual military exercise on Wednesday aimed at preventing the threat of Chinese invasion, including using the so-called “gray regional tactics” deployed by China, which is just a short distance from open warfare.
This year's 10-day real-time Hangu drill is the longest to date and follows a range of new weapons from tanks to water drones. Taiwan exercises are increasing as regional tensions and harassment are occurring in China and its People's Liberation Army (PLA).
China claims Taiwan is its territory and, if necessary, annexes by force if necessary, and the vast majority of Taiwan hope to be completely independent or retain its current de facto independent status.
The Ministry of Defense said the exercises began with practices in response to actions by the Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia, which have been harassing Taiwanese ships around offshore groups near the Chinese coast. Worry, China may launch an invasion under the guise of small harassment, which will include reinforcement ports and possible Chinese landing sites, 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the coast of China.
The ministry said the exercises will then focus on simulated anti-land exercises and will support the regular troops of all services by 22,000 reserve personnel. The ministry said that given all possibilities, under realistic conditions, the exercise will last 20 days.
The troops in the exercise will use the Abrams M1A2T tank, which has obtained a high-mobile rocket system from the United States despite Taiwan’s closest partners and sources of defensive weapons, despite no diplomatic ties at the insistence of Beijing.
The ministry calls on the public to show patience with flight or traffic disruptions without believing in distributing false information about the exercises.
China responded to the announcement of the exercise in a typical fashion way.
“Han guang practice is nothing more than a bluff and self-deception technique of the DPP authorities, trying to bind the people of Taiwan to the Taiwan independence cart and hurt Taiwan for the selfish interests of a party,” Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Jiang Bing Bing said in a press conference on Tuesday. The DPP represents the ruling Democratic Progressive Party led by Taiwan, led by Taiwan.
“No matter how they execute or use weapons, they cannot resist the PLA's anti-independence sword and the inevitable historical trend of unification of the motherland,” Jiang said.
China also appears to have taken action to undermine the preparations for training, with Taiwan’s defense ministry saying Tuesday that “PLA aircraft and ships” “has been carried out in Taiwan’s air and maritime domains, an excuse for the so-called “joint combat patrol.”
Taiwan’s armed forces “have taken joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance measures to closely monitor the situation and sent missionary aircraft, ships and coast-based missile systems to respond appropriately,” Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Tuesday.
China imposed export controls on Wednesday against eight companies linked to the Taiwan military. China has used such strategies before, including approval of U.S. companies that assist Taiwan’s emerging domestic defense industry.
Aerospace and shipbuilding companies have added export control lists to China's Ministry of Commerce, including defense supplier Aerospace Industry Development Corporation, drone maker Jingwei Aerospace Technology Co. and CSBC Corporation, Taiwan's largest shipbuilding company.
The ministry said the new regulations came into effect immediately, prohibiting exports to listed “dual-purpose” companies, which can be used for civilian and military purposes.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense spokesman Chiao Fu-Chun shrugged, saying the island’s defense industry excludes any part of its supply chain from China and attempts to do all manufacturing on the island.
“This Chinese ministry's action is in line with our (main weapon developers) policy,” Chihao said.
