Taiwan conducts live-fire drill

Taiwan’s military has carried out an annual, live-fire, anti-landing military exercise, simulating operations to ward off an amphibious attack on its southern beaches.

The drill, held annually under the name of Han Kuang, was conducted in the southern county of Pingtung on Thursday, with fighter jets launching strikes and warships opening fire, along with more than 3,000 troopers, in an attempt to destroy an enemy beachhead.

During the exercise, the largest in Taiwan, warplanes practiced landing on main highways to refuel and rearm.

The drill simulated defense against an attack by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

“The military force of the Chinese Communist Party has continued to expand, without giving up the use of force to invade Taiwan,” said Taiwan’s defense minister Yen Teh-fa, while observing the drills.

Yen also accused Beijing of intending to “destroy regional stability and cross-strait security.”

The defense minister’s comments followed a rise in cross-strait tensions. During recent months, China’s army has conducted extensive exercises with warships, bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft near self-ruled Taiwan, moves Taipei has perceived as attempts at intimidation.

China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty under a policy known as “One China.”

The United States, while formally practicing “One China,” remains a close ally of Taipei, providing weapons to it.

Taiwan and the mainland separated amid a civil war in 1949. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Back in January, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that Beijing reserved the right to forcefully bring the island under its control but would strive to achieve peaceful “reunification.”

However, Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen has time and again said that she wants to maintain the status quo with China.

Taiwan, home to 23 million people, would be extremely outgunned in any potential war with China.

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