Taiwan's defence minister amid cross-strait tensions
China has dispatched coast guard ships to waters east of Taiwan in a move described as law-enforcement, amid Japan and the Philippines initiating maritime boundary talks. Taiwan denounces Beijing’s actions as an overreach and a threat to regional sovereignty. The situation involves the Pratas Islands and ongoing Chinese maritime patrols.
Taiwan has started five days of Immediate Combat Readiness Exercises to test rapid deployment and wartime transition, while China conducts drills nearby. The exercises involve live-fire, real-time responses, and larger regional tensions with frequent Chinese air and sea activity around Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Han Kuang exercises are extending to 10 days, testing 24-hour defense operations, urban resilience, and new US-inspired tactics. Civilians are mobilized, internet slowdowns simulate disruption, and reservists are being expanded to strengthen civil defense amid heightened tensions with China.