TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s military must be ready to respond quickly because the advance warning before any possible Chinese attack is getting shorter, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said Wednesday.
Reuters reported that Taiwan is holding five days of rapid combat readiness drills this week. The drills are testing how fast the military can shift from normal operations to wartime readiness.
Speaking at the Legislature, Koo said the drills focus on speed and rapid response. He said Taiwan needs to assess whether its forces can act immediately if a crisis breaks out.
Taiwan’s military has begun planning some drills around a sudden-attack scenario. The scenario involves China turning one of its regular exercises around Taiwan into a real attack.
China’s newest aircraft carrier sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday. Taiwan has also held regular drills as it works to strengthen its defenses.
The military recently tested its new US-made HIMARS rocket system. Taiwan’s main Han Kuang military exercises are expected to take place in August.
The annual Han Kuang drills are the military’s biggest training event. They are used to test how Taiwan would respond to a possible attack.
In Beijing, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office criticized the drills. Spokesperson Zhang Han said China would try to achieve what it calls peaceful reunification, but would not rule out using force.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is pushing to modernize Taiwan’s armed forces. He has set a goal of raising defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product before 2030.
