Overview
- Taiwan's military began the five-day exercise on Monday, with tanks from the Army’s 269th Infantry Brigade seen patrolling streets and highways in Taoyuan.
- Citing activity between Sunday and Monday morning, the defence ministry said 23 People’s Liberation Army aircraft and multiple navy and government ships operated near Taiwan.
- The exercise is designed to test how quickly units can deploy and to strengthen command mechanisms, joint operations control, logistical sustainment and battlefield preparation.
- Officials framed the drills as part of a shift to more realistic, on-site live-fire training and said future exercises could include impromptu, real-time responses to Chinese military actions.
- Defence Minister Wellington Koo said the drills respond to a shortening warning time for any Chinese attack and will check whether forces can react quickly under decentralised regional command.