Taipei Launches Biggest War Games to Counter Beijing

Taiwan on July 9 launched its largest military drills ever, starting with simulated attacks on its command systems and infrastructure ahead of a Chinese invasion, senior defense officials said.

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TAIPEI -

The early stages of the annual Han Kuang exercises will focus on testing how Taiwan's military can decentralize command in the event of a crippling communications attack.

Over the next 10 days, the drills will expand to assess Taiwan's combat readiness against a full-scale attempt to seize the island.

"We are learning from the situation in Ukraine in recent years and realistically thinking about what Taiwan might face... in real combat," said one senior defense official, highlighting the need to protect command and communication systems.

"Commanders have to think about what issues their troops might face, and they need to pass them down to their subordinates," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the operation.

Cyber attacks and misinformation campaigns are seen by Taiwan as high-intensity "grey zone" actions that are likely to precede a broader Chinese assault.