TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — There will be simulated Chinese aerial attacks on the Port of Taipei and Tamsui River estuary during this year’s Han Kuang Exercise, military officials said on Sunday (July 10).

The two sites were selected because they are important strongholds for the defense of Taiwan’s political and economic centers, Major General Lin Wen-huang (林文皇), director of the Ministry of National Defense’s Operations and Planning Joint Operations Division, said at a recent press conference. If the Tamsui River is captured by Chinese forces, military equipment can be transported to the land via the Taipei Harbor, CNA cited Lin as saying.

A simulation of Taipei Harbor being attacked by Chinese attack helicopters and fighter bombers will be carried out, and the military will implement a joint counterattack operation, Lin said. He said that the Han Kuang exercise will continue to improve asymmetric warfare, cognitive warfare, information and electronic warfare, reserve combat capacity, and overall mobilizable civilian resources.

In addition, each of Taiwan’s combat areas will utilize the characteristics of beaches, urban features, and defense in depth to strengthen the installation of berths, coastal mines, and blocking obstacles. The military will integrate personnel and firepower from all three branches and use various ground-based weapons to conduct joint defense combat drills, Lin said.

Another unnamed military official noted that the distance from the Tamsui River mouth to the Guandu Bridge is only about 8 kilometers, and the distance to political and economic centers, such as the Presidential Office, is also quite short, according to CNA. There will be dire consequences if this line of defense is not solidly maintained, he said.

Therefore, blowing up the Guandu Bridge is also one of the scenarios included in recent Han Kuang exercises, he added.

The computer simulations portion of Han Kuang 38 was held from May 16-20. The live-fire segment will be carried out from July 25-29.