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Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
On Taiwan's forgotten front line, all the defensive drills in the world may not matter
The tanks and armoured vehicles rolled onto the sandy beach in the dead of night on Taiwan's Kinmen island, lying in wait for the signal. Within minutes, the order came over the loudspeaker, and the drills began with a series of huge explosions shaking the ground of this small island, located just two kilometres from China. The rumbling thunder of rockets being launched towards the water could be heard from the edge of the beach. Seconds later, the sound of machine guns and a howitzer split the air while lasers lit up the night sky with orange lines. The drills taking place at the Houhu Seaside Park on Kinmen's east coast are part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang military drills. They are hosted there to showcase its military prowess and prepare its troops in the event of a Chinese invasion. This year, the exercises are the biggest and longest ever, with more than 22,000 reservists deployed for 10 days of weapons training as well as a wide range of field exercises, which have included running through Taipei's subway system in the middle of the night. The drills on Kinmen are particularly important, given that its proximity to China has earned it the label of Taiwan's 'front line'. However, those who live on Kinmen, including the troops, believe that this designation may no longer be valid; with some of the world's most advanced weapons, if China wanted to attack Taiwan today, it could go straight for the jugular and hit the capital, Taipei. 'In the past, the military technology was not that advanced so the Chinese communists could only bomb Kinmen Island, but now they can launch missiles across the ocean, even to the United States,' said Yu-Jen Chen, who represents Kinmen in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan – similar to a member of parliament in the UK. As part of this year's larger Han Kuang drills, they will also involve 'unscripted' portions to more accurately simulate what would happen in the event of an attack. On Kinmen, this means that some of the soldiers participating in the night-time drills have not been told key information in advance. 'They will only be deployed to the beach, when they receive the order from their commanders,' said a military source who spoke on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to speak to the media. 'Previously they would have a planned mobilisation, but this time they don't have an arranged deployment.' Similar to the rest of Han Kuang, the drills on Kinmen this year are the largest ever, with all 3,000 soldiers stationed on the island taking part. Nine M60A3 tanks and four CM21 armoured vehicles were seen lining up before launching a torrent of projectiles towards Taiwan island. There will also be continuous shooting across the main island, neighbouring Lesser Kinmen and nine surrounding islets, marking the first time all 12 are using live fire. 'This is the biggest one in history. While the islets have been included as part of the annual Han Kuang in the past, this year we made adjustments to have simultaneous live-firing on all of them,' Lt Gen Wang Shi-Tu, commander of the Kinmen Defense Command, told The Telegraph. 'This is because of the threats, especially the threats coming from the other side of the Taiwan Strait.' China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, a stance which the government in Taipei rejects, and has not ruled out the use of force to 'reunify' the country. However, those who live in Kinmen don't believe that the drills are all that useful. 'I was joking with a general who said that if a war happens they will mobilise their troops to hide in the mountains so we can avoid escalating the battle and minimise the destruction on Kinmen,' said Wang Song-Wei, who works at the Kinmen county government. There used to be approximately 100,000 troops stationed on Kinmen Island, but over the years this number has decreased to the 3,000 or so here today – hardly enough to defend the island against China's strength of more than two million. Legislator Chen explained that having fewer troops on Kinmen makes the island less of a target. The island also doesn't look the way you would imagine a frontline to look. Former military bases have been turned into museums, with artillery used in tourist showcases and old tanks left outside to rust and decay. All of this is compounded by the greatest disadvantage facing Kinmen – that it would more or less be left to fend for itself in the event of an attack. Legislator Chen said that the 'official attitude' from the ministry of national defence in Taipei is that if Kinmen were attacked, its people would have to 'fight for ourselves independently'. This sentiment was echoed by several residents across the island, including Jason Yang, who was born and raised on Kinmen, but before retiring served as one of the highest officials in the military's combat unit on the main island. 'In the event of a possible confrontation with China, it would not be a priority for Taipei to send troops,' he said. Mr Wang believes one of the reasons that Lai Ching-te, the Taiwan president, decided to increase the scale of the Han Kuang drills this year was to appeal to the United States and, as the 'frontline', Kinmen needed to be included. The US has long maintained a principle of strategic ambiguity when it comes to Taiwan, refraining from asserting whether it would come to the country's defence in the event of an attack. The Pentagon has recently been pushing Japan and Australia to clarify what kind of role they would play if Taiwan was attacked. One unnamed US official said that this was to ensure that 'the United States and its allies have the military strength to underwrite diplomacy and guarantee peace'. For his part, Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, rebuffed the efforts, saying that his country would not join a 'hypothetical' conflict with China over Taiwan. President Donald Trump has echoed this position, while also pushing for Taiwan to do its own part to protect itself, including by increasing its defence budget. 'It is very likely Lai is trying to show off to Trump. He takes action based on loyalty. He wants people to grovel and that is what Lai is doing,' said Mr Wang. While the threat of an invasion looms over many in Taipei, for those on Kinmen, they don't believe China would attack 'its own family', as one resident put it. Kinmen and Xiamen, the Chinese city closest to the island, are very close culturally and many residents on both sides have family on the other. No one understands this better than Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, who served as vice-mayor of the coastal city during the 1980s. The government in Beijing has been capitalising on these ties in recent years, adopting what has become known as the Kinmen Model. This refers to Chinese coast guard activities aimed at furthering legal cross-strait relations by removing Taipei's authority over the Taiwan Strait. China has deployed many vessels – both officially and unofficially – into the strait over the years as part of its 'grey zone' efforts to intimidate and coerce Taiwan. Given this, it came as little surprise to those gathered on the beach that the island's largest drills to date began with the encroachment of a Chinese fishing boat.
South China Morning Post
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Taiwan holds largest and longest-ever annual military exercise
Read more: Taiwan's military has live-streamed drills featuring live-fire operations using its new M1A2T Abrams tanks on the second day of its largest and longest-ever annual military exercise. The 41st edition of the Han Kuang exercise marks a significant departure from previous years, both in scale and duration. The 10-day, round-the-clock war game, which started on July 9, 2025, is designed to reflect a more realistic and protracted cross-strait conflict scenario.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Taiwan shows off new US tanks amid annual war games
By Greg Torode and Fabian Hamacher TAIPEI/HSINCHU (Reuters) -Taiwan's army on Thursday displayed the fire power of its first U.S.-sourced M1A2T Abrams tanks - a traditional weapon that analysts say will need to be increasingly protected against drones in any future battle given lessons from the Ukraine war. Four Abrams tanks were shown manoeuvring across a mud-choked army training ground in Hsinchu county, firing at moving and static targets, on the second day of Taiwan's annual military exercises that are designed to test the island's resilience in a conflict with China. Wearing a combat helmet, President Lai Ching-te observed the firing, saying later that with "every increase in the military's combat power, the nation and its people gain an extra layer of security". "Whether in terms of strike capability or mobility, it was extremely powerful — undoubtedly the strongest tank on the battlefield," Lai said. Senior military officials in Lai's government say they intend the comprehensive 10-day drills to show both China and the international community, including its key weapons supplier the U.S., that Taiwan is determined to defend itself against any China attack or invasion. China views the democratically governed island as its own and has intensified military pressure around Taiwan over the last five years. Lai's comments also come ahead of a recall parliamentary election on July 26 that could see his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) take back control of the legislature. The tanks are among the first batch of 38 Abrams main battle tanks delivered in December, with the rest of the 108 ordered by Taiwan due to be delivered later this year and next year. They marked Taiwan's first new tanks for 24 years. Analysts and regional military attaches say that while the Abrams remains a potent and highly adaptable weapon that would help Taiwan defend its cities and coasts in an invasion scenario, Taiwan will have to leverage its counter-drone technology to protect them. Both Russian and Ukrainian tanks, including U.S. Abrams supplied to Kyiv, have reportedly proven vulnerable to drones and advanced anti-tank weapons. The tanks have yet to be fully commissioned and Wednesday's test firing was not a formal part of the Han Kuang drills, which are designed to replicate full battle conditions at sea, on land and in the skies, military officials said. Major General Chou Kuang-i, who heads the 584th armour brigade, said he expected the tanks to be in service later this year and deployed to combat zones according to "the current enemy threat and the tactical needs". Singapore-based military scholar Thomas Lim said he expected Taiwan would attempt in a war scenario to cover their "prized assets" with counter drone elements, or also deploy them from high positions for extra protection. "This isn't it isn't a problem unique to Abrams," said Lim, of Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. President Lai said that he believed that through "realistic combat training", the M1A2T tank will "be able to integrate with drones and innovative tactics to more effectively fulfill the nation's strategic objectives". China's defence ministry on Tuesday said that Taiwan's drills were "nothing but a bluff". (Reporting By Greg Torode and Fabian Hamacher in Taipei; additional reporting by Angie Teo; Editing by Michael Perry)
CNA
10-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Taiwan shows off new US tanks as annual war games intensify
TAIPEI: Taiwan's army on Thursday (Jul 10) displayed the firepower of its first US-sourced M1A2T Abrams tanks - a traditional weapon that analysts say will need to be increasingly protected against drones in any future battle, given lessons from the Ukraine war. Four Abrams tanks were shown manoeuvring across a mud-choked army training ground in Hsinchu county, firing at moving and static targets, on the second day of Taiwan's annual military exercises that are designed to test the island's resilience in a conflict with China. Wearing a combat helmet, President Lai Ching-te observed the firing, saying later that with "every increase in the military's combat power, the nation and its people gain an extra layer of security". "Whether in terms of strike capability or mobility, it was extremely powerful - undoubtedly the strongest tank on the battlefield," Lai said. Senior military officials in Lai's government say they intend the comprehensive 10-day drills to show both China and the international community, including its key weapons supplier, the US, that Taiwan is determined to defend itself against any Chinese attack or invasion. China views the democratically governed island as its own and has intensified military pressure around Taiwan over the last five years. Lai's comments also come ahead of a recall parliamentary election on Jul 26 that could see his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) take back control of the legislature. The tanks are among the first batch of 38 Abrams main battle tanks delivered in December, with the rest of the 108 ordered by Taiwan due to be delivered later this year and next year. They marked Taiwan's first new tanks in 24 years. Analysts and regional military attaches say that while the Abrams remains a potent and highly adaptable weapon that would help Taiwan defend its cities and coasts in an invasion scenario, Taiwan will have to leverage its counter-drone technology to protect them. Both Russian and Ukrainian tanks, including US Abrams supplied to Kyiv, have reportedly proven vulnerable to drones and advanced anti-tank weapons. The tanks have yet to be fully commissioned, and Wednesday's test firing was not a formal part of the drills, which are designed to replicate full battle conditions at sea, on land and in the skies, military officials said. Singapore-based military scholar Thomas Lim said he expected Taiwan would attempt in a war scenario to cover their "prized assets" with counter-drone elements, or also deploy them from high positions for extra protection. "This isn't straightforward ... but it isn't a problem unique to Abrams," said Lim, of Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. President Lai said that he believed that through "realistic combat training", the M1A2T tank will "be able to integrate with drones and innovative tactics to more effectively fulfill the nation's strategic objectives".
Japan Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Taiwan's shows off new U.S. Abrams tanks during annual military drills
Taiwan's army on Thursday displayed the fire power of its first U.S.-sourced M1A2T Abrams tanks — a traditional weapon analysts say will need to be increasingly protected against drones in any future battle given lessons from the Ukraine war. Four Abrams tanks were shown maneuvering across a mud-choked army training ground in Hsinchu county, firing at moving and static targets, on the second day of Taiwan's annual military exercises that are designed to test the island's resilience in a conflict with China. Wearing a combat helmet, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te observed the firing, saying later that with "every increase in the military's combat power, the nation and its people gain an extra layer of security." "Whether in terms of strike capability or mobility, it was extremely powerful — undoubtedly the strongest tank on the battlefield," Lai said. Senior military officials in Lai's government say they intend the comprehensive 10-day drills to show both China and the international community, including key weapons supplier the U.S., that Taiwan is determined to defend itself against any Chinese attack or invasion. China views the democratically governed island as its own and has intensified military pressure around Taiwan over the last five years. Soldiers pose for photos in front of a U.S.-made M1A2T Abrams tank as they take part in live-fire exercises in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on Thursday. | REUTERS Lai's comments also come ahead of a recall parliamentary election on July 26 that could see his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) take back control of the legislature. The tanks are among the first batch of 38 Abrams main battle tanks delivered in December, with the rest of the 108 ordered by Taiwan due to be delivered later this year and next year. They marked Taiwan's first new tanks for 24 years. Analysts and regional military attaches say that while the Abrams remains a potent and highly adaptable weapon that would help Taiwan defend its cities and coasts in an invasion scenario, Taiwan will have to leverage its counter-drone technology to protect them. Both Russian and Ukrainian tanks, including U.S. Abrams supplied to Kyiv, have reportedly proven vulnerable to drones and advanced anti-tank weapons. The tanks have yet to be fully commissioned and Wednesday's test firing was not a formal part of the drills, which are designed to replicate full battle conditions at sea, on land and in the skies, military officials said. Singapore-based military scholar Thomas Lim said he expected Taiwan would attempt in a war scenario to cover their "prized assets" with counter-drone elements, or also deploy them from high positions for extra protection. "This isn't straightforward ... but it isn't a problem unique to Abrams," said Lim, of Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. President Lai said he believed that through "realistic combat training," the M1A2T tank will "be able to integrate with drones and innovative tactics to more effectively fulfill the nation's strategic objectives." China's defense ministry on Tuesday said that Taiwan's drills were "nothing but a bluff."
