Taiwan launches war-readiness drills in response to China's open-sea exercises

By Seo Ji-yeon, The Herald Business

Taiwan's military launched an immediate war-readiness drill amid China's open-sea combat exercise involving aerial refueling tankers, with both sides conducting what amount to mirror-image military exercises and ratcheting up tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense began a five-day "immediate war-readiness drill" on Saturday, according to local media including the United Daily News.

The ministry said it would deploy active-duty troops and equipment in real time to strengthen each unit's response capabilities and verify the effectiveness of joint operations. "We are focused on enhancing the ability to rapidly transition to a wartime operational posture and improving force deployment capacity," it said.

The drill centers on assessing core wartime competencies — command-and-control systems, logistical support and troop management. It will be conducted exclusively with standing forces, without mobilizing reservists.

Taiwanese media analysts said the exercise carries the clear hallmarks of a direct response to China's open-sea combat drills.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry announced Saturday that China's military had conducted its second open-sea combat exercise of the year, deploying aerial refueling tankers. The exercise is designed to test the People's Liberation Army's ability to conduct reconnaissance, early warning, air defense and maritime control operations in distant waters.

A military source noted that Taiwan's Defense Ministry announced the war-readiness drill almost immediately after disclosing the Chinese exercise, raising the possibility that the two drills are in effect linked.

China has steadily intensified military pressure on Taiwan in recent months, increasing sorties by military aircraft and naval vessels around the island. Taiwan has responded by sharpening its own combat readiness, keeping cross-strait military tensions elevated.

The deployment of advanced American-made attack drones to Taiwan has emerged as an additional variable.

According to military sources, US-made MQ-9B SkyGuardian medium-altitude unmanned combat aerial vehicles have recently arrived in Taiwan. General Atomics — the American defense contractor — is working with Taiwan's military on assembly and performance checks ahead of test flights.

The MQ-9B is regarded as a state-of-the-art drone capable of long-range surveillance, reconnaissance and precision strike missions. Taiwan expects the aircraft to significantly enhance its ability to monitor PLA naval vessels and aircraft activity.