Taiwan's defense ministry announced on Wednesday that this year's annual military drills will focus on breaking a blockade and will take into account China's recent war games. A senior security official also revealed that Taiwan now has a "Five Eyes" intelligence link. China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory, has increased military pressure in the past three years to assert its sovereignty claim.
China's precision strikes and blockades in drills around Taiwan took place this month following a meeting between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles. Taiwan's defense ministry said the "Han Kuang" exercises would consist of tabletop drills from May 15 to 19 and live-fire exercises with forces mobilized from July 24 to 28.
The exercises will concentrate on combat forces "preservation" and "maritime interception." Civilian airports will be used, air assets will be dispersed, and ground forces will be disguised. The naval component will incorporate sea, air, and land forces to attack enemy forces and amphibious assault ships, protect sea lanes, and counter blockade efforts.
General Lin Wen-huang, the ministry's combat planning chief, said at a news conference, "Of course our drills are based on the threat of the communists invading Taiwan and its recent military exercises around Taiwan." Taiwan refuses to accept Beijing's sovereignty claims and has pledged to protect its freedom and democracy.
Taiwan has sought closer security cooperation with the United States and its allies due to the increased threat from China. Tsai Ming-yen, the director-general of Taiwan's National Security Bureau, said during a parliamentary session on Wednesday that they had upgraded their computers to exchange real-time intelligence with the "Five Eyes" alliance, which includes the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. "We can connect with the 'Five Eyes' alliance through a confidential system," he stated, without providing further details.
Last week, China's navy released a video showing the Shandong aircraft carrier and new amphibious assault ships simulating an attack and landing in "Western Pacific waters," implying a Taiwan contingency plan. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said, "It takes a strong navy to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Taiwan is working to enhance its defensive capabilities by investing in new equipment, such as long-range missiles and drones, and extending compulsory military service to one year. Taiwan's domestic security chief, Tsai, warned that China is using new "cognitive warfare" methods, such as artificial intelligence applications, to influence public opinion and spread disinformation ahead of January's presidential elections. "We need to continue paying attention to what they are up to during the election process," he said.
