Latest news with #Himars
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Taiwan is rehearsing for war and what it wants China and Trump to know
Taiwan is carrying out its largest military and civil defence drills to date, in response to growing threats from China. The 10-day Han Kuang exercises, which began on 9 July 2025, involve over 22,000 troops and thousands of civilians, including volunteers and emergency workers. The drills aim to test how well Taiwan can defend itself against a possible Chinese invasion. Government officials say the exercises are also designed to build public awareness and resilience in case of conflict. In the capital, Taipei, air raid sirens brought the city to a standstill. Civilian evacuations were practised in shops, schools, subways, and busy areas. BBC News reported that residents had to shelter indoors or risk fines, and traffic came to a halt as part of the Urban Resilience exercise. At a supermarket, The Independent quoted a 19-year-old student, Wu Huan Chung, who described a drill where staff reassured a shopper concerned about food shortages. 'They explained the store was keeping food in the basement for emergencies,' she said. Staff had also been trained in evacuation procedures and ways to calm crowds. Troops took part in amphibious landing drills, helicopter re-arming exercises, and city-based combat simulations. New weapons systems such as US-supplied Himars missile launchers and Abrams tanks were used during the drills, The Independent reported. President Lai Ching Te, who observed several drills in military uniform, said the goal was to avoid war by being ready for it. 'We hope by preparing for war, we can avoid war, to achieve the goal of peace,' he said, as quoted by BBC News. NOW HAPPENING: Urban Resilience (Air Defense) Drill in Taipei All civilians are required to shelter indoors. Buses halted to a stop during the drills, while trains continued service. The annual air raid drill comes as Taiwan conducts its largest military exercises to date. — Gino Lopez | 盧培德 (@ginollopez) July 17, 2025 The president added that building unity and public strength is key, 'With preparation, we have strength.' China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has criticised the drills. At a press conference, Chinese defence spokesperson Colonel Jiang Bing called the exercises 'a bluff and a self-deceiving trick' and said Taiwan could not stop China's goal of reunification. But Taiwanese lawmakers and civil society groups say the drills are essential. 'We are facing China, so we want to be well prepared,' said Fan Yun, a member of Taiwan's legislature, as quoted by The Independent. 'We are showing our ability to defend ourselves.' Some residents told BBC news that they believe the chances of a Chinese invasion are low. 'If they really wanted to invade us, they would have done it long ago,' said a 29-year-old finance worker named Ben. 'But I do believe we need these drills… every country needs to practise defence.' Others are less confident. 'There is just too big a difference in the strengths of China and Taiwan's militaries,' said Mr Xue, an office worker. 'There is no use defending ourselves.' Still, the drills have made emergency preparation part of everyday conversation. People are now discussing what food and medical supplies to store at home, and making plans with family in case of attack. This year, for the first time, Taiwan combined its military drills with large-scale civil defence exercises. These included mock rescue operations, bomb simulations, and training volunteers in first aid. One NGO worker told The Independent that these activities help raise awareness, especially among younger people. But she said it's still hard to talk with older generations about the possibility of war. 'If something really happens, questions like 'where should we meet' are an uncomfortable eventuality to prepare for,' she said. Taiwan's defence ministry has urged the public not to panic and to ignore misinformation about the drills. Officials hope the exercises will show both the people of Taiwan—and China—that the island is serious about its self-defence. As lawmaker Fan Yun put it, 'In Taiwan we say, the colour of your political party's flag does not matter, because a missile has no eyes.'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Taiwan helps the public prepare for a possible Chinese invasion
Taiwan conducted its annual Han Kuang military drills, lasting 10 days from 9 July, involving over 22,000 reservists in an unprecedented mobilisation. The exercises, observed by President Lai Ching Te, simulated defence against a potential Chinese invasion, including airfield assaults, urban warfare, and amphibious landings. The drills aimed to strengthen Taiwan's defences, counter China 's 'grey zone tactics', and utilised recently supplied US weapons like Abrams M1A2T tanks, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars) and waterborne drones. Beyond military readiness, the exercises involved civil defence groups and local officials, educating the public on preparedness for scenarios such as food shortages and air raid alerts. China condemned the drills as a 'bluffing and self-deceiving trick' and responded with significant 'harassment operations' around Taiwan's air and sea domains.
Bloomberg
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Bomb Moscow? Trump Surely Couldn't Be That Reckless
There's a lot Donald Trump has failed to do to pressure Russia into genuine peace talks on Ukraine. But it's now being reported he asked President Volodymyr Zelenskiy if he could do the one thing that nobody in their right mind would suggest: bomb Moscow, the capital city of a paranoid nuclear superpower, using US long-range missiles. Not knowing the identities or even nationalities of the unnamed officials cited in Tuesday's Financial Times article, one can only guess at the motivations for airing such an idea, or if accurate, whether Trump was serious. But given that he already boasted of threatening during his first term to 'bomb the sh*t out of Moscow' if Putin attacked Ukraine, it can't be dismissed out of hand, which is disturbing itself. I'm going to guess that Trump's claim to have threatened Moscow — made on the campaign trail and recorded by CNN - was just one more among countless falsehoods that he's made for political ends. In this case, it would be to prove his otherwise ridiculous claim that Russia never would have invaded Ukraine had he remained in power after 2020. And if only to sleep soundly, let's likewise assume that whatever Trump asked of Zelenskiy on July 4, it won't result in the US handing over state-of-the-art missiles marked for Moscow. Given its merciless pounding of Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine, Russia needs to suffer a cost that deters it from continuing its unprovoked invasion. But which cost? Trump shied away from applying much safer forms of pressure on Putin as recently as Monday, when he announced that all future US military transfers to Ukraine will have to be paid for by others (meaning that fewer weapons will be sent), and that he'd impose new sanctions to punish Putin's warmongering only after another 50-day reprieve. And that's when he was supposedly getting tough. Since returning to office, Trump hasn't just refused to authorize any new aid for Ukraine, he at times interfered with the shipment of arms – including for air defense – already authorized by his predecessor and en route to Kyiv. He also gave away key Ukrainian negotiating cards before talks with Russia even began, including acceptance that the country would never join NATO. These were at best acts of enormous naivete on Trump's part, requiring him to believe that if he made unilateral concessions to a career KGB officer who has mired himself in Europe's largest war since 1945, the favor would be returned. Like many others, I've been quick to point out these mistakes, often justified by Trump and his supporters as bids to avoid World War III. In the same way, former President Joe Biden was correctly criticized for overestimating the risk that Putin would carry through with bluster about unleashing nuclear war in response to Ukraine getting supplied with conventional US weapons, from Himars multiple launch rocket systems to Abrams Tanks. All these US hesitations were misjudgments that cost Ukrainian lives. But to offer American missiles to bomb Moscow would be an altogether different matter. A success would humiliate Putin, a man who measures himself by his imperial predecessors in the Kremlin. It would expose his inability to defend even his own capital in a war he has falsely cast as collective act of Western aggression.
Free Malaysia Today
14-07-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Australia fires first Himars rocket in war game with US
Australia says it will spend A$74 billion on missiles over the next decade. (EPA Images pic) ROCKHAMPTON : Australia's army fired a truck-mounted long-range rocket system that has become a priority for US allies in the Indo-Pacific for the first time today, alongside US and Singapore forces firing the same system in joint war games. Armoured trucks with Himars – high mobility artillery rocket systems that can reach 400km – are in high demand in the Ukraine conflict and are also being acquired by US allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, which is reshaping its forces to respond to China's military build-up. On the first day of Australia's largest war games, 'Talisman Sabre', the US, Australia, Japan, France, South Korea and Singapore held a live-fire exercise in northern Queensland involving US F-35B fighter jets and land-based long-range strike rockets and missiles. Up to 40,000 troops from 19 nations are taking part in Talisman Sabre, across thousands of kilometres from Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island to the Coral Sea on Australia's east coast. Australian army brigadier Nick Wilson, director-general of the combined live-fire exercise, said it was the first time Australia, Singapore and the US had fired Himars together, and the first firing by Australia on home soil. 'Himars will be utilised in conjunction with a number of other weapon platforms… to ensure we have a strategy of denial for security, peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,' he told reporters today. The joint exercise at Shoalwater Bay in north Queensland was watched by Australian governor general Sam Mostyn and chief of defence admiral David Johnston. Australia has previously said army regiments with Himars can be transported to neighbouring island states with defence agreements to protect its northern approaches in a conflict. Lockheed Martin delivered the first two of 42 Himars launcher vehicles ordered by Australia in April. Australia has said it will spend A$74 billion on missiles over the next decade, including a new domestic manufacturing capability. US army lieutenant-general Joel Vowell, deputy commanding general for the Pacific, said yesterday the US needed to work with partners in the Indo-Pacific, and that Talisman Sabre was 'a deterrent mechanism because our ultimate goal is no war'.
South China Morning Post
14-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Australia fires its first US-made Himars rocket system in military exercise
Australia's army fired a truck-mounted long-range rocket system that has become a priority for US allies in the Indo-Pacific for the first time on Monday, alongside US and Singapore forces firing the same system in joint military exercises. Armoured trucks with High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars) that can reach 400km (250 miles) are in high demand in the Ukraine conflict and are also being acquired by US allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Australia , which is reshaping its forces to respond to China's military build-up. On the first day of Australia's largest military exercise Talisman Sabre, the US, Australia, Japan, France, South Korea and Singapore held a live-fire exercise in northern Queensland involving US F-35B fighter jets and land-based long-range strike rockets and missiles. Up to 40,000 troops from 19 nations are taking part in Talisman Sabre, across thousands of kilometres from Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island to the Coral Sea on Australia's east coast. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is fired for the first time in front of members of the public as part of the Talisman Sabre joint military exercise in Australia on Monday. Photo: EPA Australian Army Brigadier Nick Wilson, director general of the combined live-fire exercise, said it was the first time Australia, Singapore and the United States had fired Himars together, and the first firing by Australia on home soil.
