The Taiwanese military has simulated China suddenly turning one of its regular military drills into an actual attack on the island nation.
The simulation was conducted off Taiwan’s east coast, where Beijing has increasingly flexed its military muscles, flying warplanes and sailing warships in the area.
During the exercise, troops in red helmets representing China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) parachuted into the eastern county of Taitung and launched a surprise attack.
They guided representative enemy airborne assault units to strike key infrastructure and defense targets.
Upon receiving orders, Taiwanese troops first carried out a reconnaissance mission using drones to assess enemy positions and dynamics on the battlefield.
They soon rolled onto the battlefield with tanks, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled howitzers, and snipers.
Optimizing Combat Readiness
According to Major General Tan Yung, the simulation aimed to bolster the country’s intelligence, command, communication, and strike capabilities.
It also helped optimize the combat readiness of Taiwanese troops amid growing threats from China.
Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has hinted at the use of military force to reunify it.
With journalists witnessing the simulation, Yung explained that the exercise was also aimed in part at boosting public confidence in the country’s ability to defend itself.
Potential Surprise Attack
China has been conducting large-scale military exercises near Taiwan, including in April 2023 when it staged war games to simulate strikes on the self-ruled island.
It has also ramped up its “island encirclement patrol,” sending more than 140 warplanes and 50 warships inside Taiwan’s exclusive zone in four days.
According to military analysts, the intensifying pressure of Chinese military drills could be a form of “cognitive warfare” to make the Taiwanese people drop their guard.
It could also signal a potentially looming surprise attack by the PLA.