Written by Ben Blanchard
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan's annual war games this year will be as close to actual combat as possible, no longer just a point-scoring show but aiming to simulate real combat given the rapidly growing “enemy threat” from China. The official said.
China, which considers democratically-ruled Taiwan its territory, has been conducting regular maneuvers around the island for four years to pressure Taipei to accept Beijing's sovereignty claim, despite Taiwan's strong objections.
Taiwan begins the five-day Han Kuang maneuvers on July 22.
A senior Taiwan Defense Ministry official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so he could speak more freely, said there was an urgent need to rethink how the exercises were conducted.
“In recent years, the enemy threat has changed rapidly,” the official said. “Our defensive combat plan must also be continuously reviewed on a rolling basis, and the urgent need for comprehensive combat training has become even more important.”
The official said elements that were mostly for show, such as training exercises, have been cancelled, while there will be night exercises this year and, unusually, the capital, Taipei, will also be included.
“It's not about scoring points,” the official said. “We want Soldiers to wonder if this is real.”
The official added that things could go wrong, such as vehicles breaking down, and that is a good thing. “These are problems that can be encountered in actual combat.”
The official said that the exercises will be an ongoing experience. “War does not differentiate between night and day.”
The Chinese Ministry of Defense did not respond to phone calls requesting comment on the training exercises outside working hours on the weekend. She previously said it was futile for Taiwan to think it could use weapons to prevent “reunification.”
Announcing the drills in April, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said the war games would exercise “kill” zones at sea to break the blockade and simulate a scenario where China suddenly turns one of its regular drills around the island into an attack.
“Only through immediate verification on the ground can we truly understand the capabilities and limitations of our forces,” the official said.
China held its own two-day war games around the island shortly after President Lai Ching-te took office last month, saying it was “punishment” for his inauguration speech, which Beijing denounced as full of separatist content.
But China is also using gray zone warfare against Taiwan, employing irregular tactics to wear down the enemy by keeping it on constant alert without resorting to open combat. This includes sending balloons over the island and almost daily aerial missions in the skies near Taiwan.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Lai, who says only the Taiwanese people can decide their future, has repeatedly offered talks but has been rebuffed.
The official declined to comment on what parts of the war games Lai would attend, as is customary for the president as commander-in-chief, or whether there would be American observers.