Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has overseen live-fire drills involving newly acquired American Abrams M1A2T tanks as part of the country’s most extensive annual military exercises to date, taking place amid sustained pressure from the People’s Republic of China.
The live-fire display was held at a testing ground south of Taipei on the second day of the Han Kuang exercises, a 10-day programme focusing on Taiwan’s defensive capabilities. The drills, conducted with four tanks operating individually, in pairs, and as a unit, demonstrated precision firing both while stationary and on the move. According to Taiwan’s army, all rounds struck their targets with complete accuracy.
The United States has approved the sale of 108 of these latest-generation tanks to Taiwan under a $1.45 billion deal. These vehicles are set to replace older models and are expected to enhance defensive operations in the island’s northern region, a key area home to many of Taiwan’s high-tech manufacturing and semiconductor facilities.
President Lai described this year’s exercises as “large-scale, realistic combat drills,” aimed at ensuring readiness for various scenarios. Speaking to military personnel and media representatives in Hsinchu County, he stated: “When our military has greater strength, the nation, society, and people will be safer. Once our country becomes secure, the Indo-Pacific region will be more peaceful and stable.”
The tank deployment is part of a broader modernisation effort that includes the integration of F-16V fighter aircraft, HIMARS rocket artillery systems, and unmanned aerial platforms designed for both reconnaissance and combat support. These efforts follow continued emphasis from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence on increasing operational flexibility and improving asymmetrical warfare capabilities.
In addition to regular force exercises, Taiwan is expanding civilian involvement in national defence initiatives. On Thursday, a public food mart was evacuated as part of a civil defence drill simulating an aerial threat. Customers were relocated to a bomb shelter equipped with medical supplies and emergency provisions. Simultaneously, tanks were deployed to Taipei Songshan Airport to rehearse a response to a notional airborne assault by the Chinese military.
Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province, maintains that it has not renounced the use of force to achieve what it calls “national reunification.” Chinese military pressure has persisted throughout 2025, with the People’s Liberation Army dispatching vessels, surveillance balloons, and aircraft into areas surrounding Taiwan’s air and maritime zones on a near-daily basis.
In response to the Han Kuang exercises, Chinese state media and official spokespeople dismissed the drills as “performative” and ineffective in altering the strategic calculus of the Chinese Communist Party. Despite this rhetoric, Taiwan’s government remains firm in its pursuit of increased defence readiness and has accused China of escalating grey-zone activities.
Earlier this week, Taiwan’s coast guard reported harassment of Taiwanese fishing vessels near Kinmen and Matsu, islands held by Taiwan but located close to the Chinese coast. In what appeared to be a retaliatory move, Beijing on Wednesday imposed sanctions on eight Taiwanese companies allegedly linked to the island’s defence sector. The affected firms were not publicly named but are believed to supply components for weapons systems and radar equipment.
Taiwan’s defence ministry dismissed the sanctions, stating that the move reflects “a recognition of the effectiveness of our policy to remove Chinese involvement from critical defence supply chains.”
The United States, under the Taiwan Relations Act, is legally obliged to assist in providing Taiwan with the means to defend itself. While Washington does not formally recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state, it maintains robust unofficial relations with Taipei and has approved a series of arms sales in recent years. Whether the U.S. would intervene militarily in the event of a conflict remains deliberately ambiguous.
The ongoing Han Kuang drills are being closely monitored by regional and international observers, particularly given their expanded scale and inclusion of both military and civilian components. The exercises are expected to continue through mid-July, testing a range of scenarios, including urban warfare, coastal defence, and response to electronic warfare.
The defence ministry has said that the drills are intended to reflect the evolving nature of cross-strait threats and to develop more comprehensive joint operational capabilities across the services.
While tensions between Taipei and Beijing show no signs of abating, Taiwan’s leadership remains committed to strengthening domestic defences, modernising its armed forces, and reinforcing the island’s strategic partnerships with key international allies.
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