Taiwan launches 5-day combat readiness drill amid rising Chinese military pressure

Taiwan's military is set to begin a five-day combat readiness exercise on Monday as part of a broader effort to modernise its armed forces and strengthen preparedness against potential security threats from China.

The drill, known as the "Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise," will continue until Friday and is designed to enhance the military's ability to respond swiftly to evolving battlefield situations.

The exercise comes at a time of heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory despite strong objections from the government in Taipei, has continued to increase military operations around the island.

Taiwan has repeatedly accused Beijing of using military pressure tactics to force acceptance of Chinese sovereignty claims.

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According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, the exercise forms part of the military's annual training programme and aims to move away from traditional scripted drills toward more realistic combat-oriented scenarios.

In recent years, Taiwan has increasingly based its training on the possibility that one of China's frequent military exercises around the island could suddenly escalate into an actual attack.

"The main objective is to train units at all levels to become familiar with combat practices and the battlefield environment during the readiness deployment phase," the ministry said in a statement.

The military noted that the exercise would involve "actual troops, on actual terrain, in real time, using actual equipment, and through actual implementation.”

Officials said the training would strengthen the armed forces' ability to transition rapidly from peacetime to wartime operations while improving deployment efficiency and battlefield preparedness.

The ministry added that the drill would focus on enhancing command structures, joint operations coordination, logistical support systems and overall combat effectiveness. It is expected to improve cooperation among different military branches and refine command-and-control capabilities during crisis situations.

Taiwan said it monitored the situation closely and deployed its own forces to "respond appropriately." The latest readiness drill follows a series of military exercises conducted by Taiwan this year, including the recent firing of its US-made HIMARS rocket systems. Taiwan's large-scale annual Han Kuang military exercises are expected to be held in August.