Taiwan is enhancing its capability to rapidly deploy troops in response to the potential threat of a sudden attack from China, which frequently conducts military drills around the island, according to Defence Minister Wellington Koo on Wednesday. This initiative comes amid increasing military tensions from Beijing.
A five-day “rapid response exercise” commenced on Monday, aimed at training Taiwan‘s democratically elected forces to swiftly mobilize against any aggression from China or grey-zone tactics intended to test and wear down Taiwan’s military.
The timing of the exercise coincided with China’s deployment of 59 military aircraft and various naval vessels to regions near Taiwan, which it justified as a “punishment” for President Lai Ching-te’s ongoing advocacy for “separatism.”
Koo informed parliament that the People’s Liberation Army could transition from drills to actual attacks more quickly than previously anticipated. He emphasized the necessity of being able to detect critical warning signs and prepare for the worst-case scenario.
He further noted that the ministry’s rapid-response exercise would be informed by intelligence and threat evaluations. “Without such vigilance, we will not be combat-ready if an incident occurs,” Koo stated.
During the drills, troops established anti-landing defenses near a significant port just outside Taipei and positioned surface-to-air missile systems at key locations, as shown in footage released by the defense ministry. Security officials in Taiwan have indicated that China is attempting to normalize its military exercises near the island, conducting what it refers to as “joint combat readiness patrols” with warplanes and naval vessels approximately every seven to ten days.
China, asserting that Taiwan is part of its territory and maintaining the option of using force to assert control over the island, has intensified both military and political pressure on Taiwan in recent years. In response, Taiwan firmly contests China’s claims of sovereignty, emphasizing that only its citizens have the right to determine their own future.
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