TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The military conducted a nighttime tactical drill early Tuesday morning (Sept. 14) in Hualien County as part of this year’s Han Kuang Exercise.

At 4 a.m., the Army’s Hua-Tung Defense Command dispatched 24 armored vehicles to reach a tactical position and carry out combat drills under the cover of darkness. M60A3 tanks, M88A1 recovery vehicles, CM-21 armored vehicles, Humvees, communication vehicles, and ambulances divided into two echelon formations and drove to the rally point near Chiashan Air Force Base and its civilian facility, Hualien Airport, CNA reported.

Upon arriving at the designated location, soldiers quickly disembarked and searched the area to eliminate "enemy" forces lurking nearby, per CNA.

Because Hualien Port and the east coast are strategically important for protecting Taiwan’s air and land forces, a counterattack exercise will be held on Thursday (Sept. 16) at 9 a.m. at Beipu beach to simulate an enemy landing. The focus of Monday, the first day of the Han Kuang wargames, was on combat strength preservation.