Taiwan’s military has trained to repel an attack from mainland China in ongoing live drills. The annual war games are being held amid growing tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
Taiwan simulated an amphibious assault carried out by mainland Chinese troops during the live fire phase of military exercises on Thursday, according to the South China Morning Post. The simulation took place on the Penghu Islands, located in the South China Sea that lies between China and Taiwan.
The island’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, who observed the exercises in Penghu on Thursday, stressed the importance of the drills in protecting Taiwan’s autonomy.
“When Taiwan shows its determination to take the road of defensive autonomy, it is putting on a display to the world of our determination to protect our home and land, ” she was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.
The drills, dubbed ‘Han Kuang,’ kicked off on Monday and were initially aimed at preparing for possible attacks from mainland China, as Taiwan’s Defense Ministry is concerned about a rising military threat from Beijing. ‘Han Kuang’ featured assault helicopters and fighter jets, with eight F-16s dropping bombs in the waters south of the Penghu Islands “to repel the enemy.
