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🇸🇬 Singapore /Conflict & Security

Taiwan says warning time for China attack is shortening

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Taiwan's defense minister stated that the warning time for a potential Chinese attack is shortening, necessitating immediate combat readiness drills.
  • The island is conducting drills based on scenarios where China might convert its regular exercises around Taiwan into an actual assault.
  • China criticized the drills as showing the ruling party's "malicious intent to seek independence by force," while reiterating its commitment to peaceful reunification but not renouncing the use of force.

Taiwan's military must be prepared for immediate responses to conflict as the warning time for a potential Chinese attack is rapidly decreasing, Defense Minister Wellington Koo announced on June 24. The island is currently engaged in five days of "immediate combat readiness" drills, some of which simulate scenarios where China could abruptly transform its routine exercises near Taiwan into an actual invasion.

Taiwan’s military needs to test if it can respond immediately to a war breaking out, as the warning time for any Chinese attack is shortening.

— Wellington KooTaiwan's Defense Minister explaining the rationale behind recent military drills.

These exercises place a significant emphasis on the military's capacity for swift transitions from peacetime to wartime status. Minister Koo highlighted the need to "verify that we can respond immediately" given the perceived shortening warning period. The drills also test the armed forces' ability to operate effectively under a decentralized regional command structure.

It is intended to build the speed we believe is necessary for converting from peacetime to wartime status.

— Wellington KooTaiwan's Defense Minister describing the objective of the drills.

China, which views Taiwan as its territory, has responded critically to the drills. Zhang Han, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, described the exercises as evidence of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's "malicious intent to seek independence by force." While Beijing maintains its commitment to "peaceful reunification," Zhang reiterated that China will not renounce the use of force and will not tolerate separatist activities seeking Taiwan's independence.

In other words, given the current threat situation from the enemy, and as we believe the warning time is shortening, we need to verify that we can respond immediately.

— Wellington KooTaiwan's Defense Minister emphasizing the urgency of readiness.

Taiwan regularly conducts military drills, including testing its new US-made HIMARS rocket system earlier in June. Its main annual Han Kuang military exercises are scheduled for August. China's newest aircraft carrier also passed through the Taiwan Strait on June 23, adding to regional tensions.

The exercises also put more emphasis on whether the armed forces can still respond under a decentralised regional command structure.

— Wellington KooTaiwan's Defense Minister detailing another focus of the military drills.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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