Taiwan conducts military drills to counter Chinese threat

On May 12 this year, the Taiwanese military conducted firing exercises with HIMARS multiple rocket launchers supplied by the United States. The exercises took place in the south of the island with the participation of American specialists, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported.

,,Taiwanese soldiers conducted the first live fire with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) supplied by the United States at a military base in Pingtung County on Monday. A total of 33 rockets were fired, with 11 launchers firing three projectiles each’’, the statement said.

During annual military exercises, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced that a possible Chinese invasion could take place by 2027.

,,The exercises will double in length to ten days this summer, signaling an increased focus on military training in the democratic state that China considers its rightful territory’’, Bloomberg reported.

At the same time, political analysts believe that the designation of concrete dates for a future Chinese aggression could be considered a ,,political signal’’ aimed at increasing the budget allocated to the military by the Taipei parliament.

On March 14, Taiwan’s President Lai Qingde officially designated China as a hostile foreign power and announced expanded national security measures.

Also on October 19, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on his military to strengthen its strategic deterrence and combat capabilities.