Taiwan has initiated large-scale war games aimed at simulating the defence against a hypothetical Chinese military drill that unexpectedly transitions into a full-fledged attack.

• Taiwan’s annual war games practice “kill” zones at sea to break a blockade and simulate a scenario where China suddenly turn its drills into a full-scale attack.

• Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has championed the idea of “asymmetric warfare”, to make its forces, also much smaller than China’s more mobile and hard to attack.

• The drills will integrate naval, air and coast guard forces, shore-mounted anti-ship weapons and drones.

A member of Taiwan’s armed forces participates in a drill as part of a demonstration for the media to show combat readiness, ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, at a military base in Taitung, Taiwan January 31, 2024.

War games

The drills involve various branches of Taiwan’s armed forces and are designed to test the island’s readiness and response capabilities in the face of potential aggression from mainland China, according to a report from Reuters.

The decision to conduct these war games comes amidst growing concerns over China’s assertive military manoeuvres near Taiwan, including regular airspace intrusions and naval patrols.

Analysts view these exercises as a proactive measure by Taiwan to bolster its defences and demonstrate its ability to resist any attempted coercion or invasion by the Chinese military.

Ukraine’s influence

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, Taiwan has been looking to see what lessons it can learn and integrate into its own exercises.

In particular, Taiwan is looking to how the much smaller Ukrainian forces have been able to fend off the larger Russian military.

By rehearsing these scenarios, Taiwan aims to enhance coordination among its military branches, refine its strategies, and identify areas for improvement in its defence posture.