Taiwan conducted navy exercises on Monday, July 22, marking the beginning of the annual Han Kuang war games. This year's exercises are designed to closely simulate actual combat scenarios, with a focus on repelling a potential Chinese attack.
China considers Taiwan as its territory and has been conducting regular military drills near the island to pressure Taipei into acknowledging Beijing's sovereignty claims, despite Taiwan's strong opposition.
The war games in Taiwan this year have eliminated scripted displays and instead will include more realistic training, such as nighttime exercises and practicing communication under disrupted command lines. The five-day drills will coincide with the Wan'an civil defense exercises, where major cities will simulate evacuations in response to a hypothetical Chinese missile strike, including testing mobile phone warning alarms.
China has consistently asserted its right to use force to bring Taiwan under its control. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has expressed willingness for dialogue, emphasizing that the future of Taiwan should be determined by its people. However, Beijing has rejected these offers for talks.
