Taiwan simulates destroying invading Chinese force in coastal drill

Taiwan's military staged a robust coastal defense exercise on Tuesday, simulating the repulsion of an amphibious invasion by Chinese forces. The drill, conducted across a 20-kilometer stretch of coastline near Taichung, aimed to hone the military's ability to respond effectively under realistic combat conditions.

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What is different about this training compared with the past is that we are no longer conducting heavy artillery firing in a fixed, routine formation as before.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, maintains a near-daily military presence around the island. Taiwan's west coast, directly facing mainland China, is considered the most probable landing zone for any invasion attempt. The exercise focused on these vulnerable areas, employing a range of weaponry including truck-mounted Thunderbolt-2000 rocket systems, U.S.-made Paladin howitzers, anti-tank missiles, artillery, and mortars.

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The timing for entering positions this time was based on realistic combat conditions. So I believe this training posed a considerable level of difficulty for our troops.

Artillery commander Ong Yih-ming highlighted the shift towards more dynamic training. "What is different about this training compared with the past is that we are no longer conducting heavy artillery firing in a fixed, routine formation as before," he stated. The timing for entering firing positions was based on realistic combat conditions, increasing the difficulty for troops involved.

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What was different this time compared with the past is that previously, we would usually enter the position one week in advance and complete firing preparations.

Rocket commander Liao Neng-cheng emphasized the compressed timeline, noting, "This time, however, we arrived at the position only one day before and carried out the relevant position preparations. So our preparation time was relatively tight." This contrasts with previous drills where units would occupy positions a week in advance. The Thunderbolt-2000 rocket system, developed for long-range suppression and high mobility, was used in a live-fire exercise in an operational area for the first time in seven years.

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This time, however, we arrived at the position only one day before and carried out the relevant position preparations. So our preparation time was relatively tight.