Taiwan military holds coastal drill simulating defense against amphibious assault

Taiwan's military conducted a live-fire exercise on Tuesday that simulated repelling an invading force attempting an amphibious landing on the island's west coast. The drill occurred simultaneously at eight positions along a 20-kilometer stretch of coastline around Taichung. Troops fired rockets and artillery to stop the simulated assault.

Exercise details An artillery commander told reporters that the training no longer focused on set-piece maneuvers. The military described the scenario as more realistic and conducted with less preparation time than previous drills. Taiwan's government has been modernizing its armed forces by adding mobile weapons systems and adjusting training to reflect conditions troops would face in actual combat.

Regional context China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has not renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Chinese warplanes and warships operate near the island on an almost daily basis. The beaches and mud flats on Taiwan's west coast, facing China across the Taiwan Strait, are considered the most likely landing sites in the event of an invasion.