TAIPEI: Taiwanese troops will simulate possible scenarios for a Chinese invasion in 2027 during the island’s annual war games, the defence ministry said on Wednesday (Mar 19), as Beijing maintains military pressure on Taipei.
China insists self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to seize the island by force.
Officials in the United States – Taipei’s main backer and biggest arms supplier – have previously cited 2027 as a possible timeline for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Taiwan’s “Han Kuang” exercises, which the ministry said would be held from Jul 9 to Jul 18, are conducted every year across Taiwan to simulate defending the island against Chinese attacks.
In a report submitted to parliament on Wednesday, the ministry said this year’s scenarios would be based on China’s “grey-zone” intrusions and “possible actions of the Chinese Communist military’s invasion of Taiwan in 2027”.
“Commanders at all operational and tactical levels will plan scenarios and situations from a practical perspective based on the possible actions of the enemy,” the report said.
The aim was to “verify the ability of troops at all levels to execute plans, thereby building a military force that can respond quickly and maintain ‘high combat readiness'”, the report said.
