TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Army’s 249th mechanized infantry brigade conducted drills with guns and rifles on Guanyin Beach in Taoyuan City, reports said Tuesday (Dec. 26).

The area is known to the military as a “red beach,” one of the few beaches around the country where a large-scale landing by Chinese troops might be possible. The soldiers fired T65K2 and T91 assault rifles, as well as .45 handguns, per CNA.

The event marked the first time that the military held live-fire exercises on a beach popular with tourists. Similar drills were scheduled for Thursday (Dec. 28) at Xishu Beach in Tainan City, with the 8th Army Command in charge.

The drills in Guanyin were designed to familiarize soldiers with fighting on a beach and defending the coastline, officers said. A key element in the exercises was how to keep guns working as sand seeped into the weapons.

The military paid special attention to Taoyuan City because of the presence of Taoyuan International Airport, the Army Command, an oil refinery, and its proximity to the capital, Taipei City, the report said.