Taiwan's Military Exercises Are Aimed at the MainlandAccording to Hu Chen-pu, Taiwan's "vice-minister of defense" in charge of operations, the number of military exercises conducted by Taiwan's three services has increased from 47 each year in the past to over 140 at present. The military exercises can be classified into seven categories on the basis of their nature: *Anti-Landing Joint ExerciseAnti-landing joint exercise is the main item of exercise by Taiwan's military forces in recent years, this content infiltrates almost every important exercise. But what is the most influential and takes in the greatest energies is the "Han Kuang exercise" that takes place once each year. "Han Kuang exercise" is the special term used by Taiwan's three services for combined operational exercise. It is an exercise in Taiwan three services'combined offensive-defensive operational series conducted by Taiwan military annually, which is of the highest level, the most complicated setting, the greatest participating military force, of the strongest nature of antagonism, with the most complete subjects and of the largest scale. Since the "Han Kuang No.1" was held on June 23, 1984, this exercise has been held once every year with the mainland as the assumed target. On August 29 last year, Taiwan military conducted a six-month "Han Kuang No.16" military exercise which gave prominence to and took anti-missile, anti-landing, anti-airborne landing and anti-air raid as the focus of operation, as well as mechanization, automation and three-dimensions as the target.From March 26 to April 28 this year, Taiwan military conducted the "Han Kuang No.17" exercise, which was on a higher stage in terms of content and subject, in which the newly organized information operational unit was used for the first time, and F-16 fighter-launch "fish fork" missile, air-to-ground calf missile, sparrow missile, and side-winder missile were employed for the first time, and a massive anti-landing training was held on the west coast for the first time.. What is worthy of note is that in the exercise, Taiwan army employed the new method of operation in which helicopter was used for the first time to attack surface war vessels and amphibious tanks. The exercise fully showed that Taiwan military, in the anti-landing operation, employed various means, including the use of the three services in a joint fire assault *Anti-airborne Landing and Anti-air Raid ExerciseAccording to Taiwan military, anti-airborne landing operation has been playing an increasingly big role in Taiwan's defense operation. According to estimation by Taiwan's "defense ministry", there are more than 90 places suitable for airborne landing in Taiwan Island, including 23 airports. Given this, Taiwan military pay special attention to anti-airborne landing and anti-air raid drill in military exercise.It is reported that currently Taiwan military has marked out anti-airborne landing responsibility zones in line with war zone, division and brigade units and defense area. In the anti-airborne landing drill held in September last year, emphasis was placed on the involvement of reserve force. Taiwan Army has begun to consider inclusion of anti-airborne landing into the important items of the annual "Wan'an exercise". Beginning from 1978, "Wan'an" exercise" has been held once every year, with the focus placed on the Island's army-police-civilian anti-air raid drill. Between August 1 and 17 last year, seven "Wan'an 23" anti-air raid exercises were held successively in seven places of Taiwan. On July 4 this year, Taiwan military again carried out the "Wan'an No.24" exercise in seven sites in which 30,000 military, police and civilians were mobilized to participate. Amphibious Landing ExerciseAmphibious landing exercise is an important item in Taiwan military's exercise over the past years, which is held several times each year in line with needs. Before the "general election" held in the first half of last year, Taiwan military, with a view to strengthening war preparations, held the "Lienhsing No.81" amphibious landing operational exercise in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan. "Lienhsing" amphibious landing operational exercise is held about three times a year. To cater to the need of Taiwan military's new strategic adjustment, Taiwan military has successively conducted "Lienhsing 82" and "Lienhsing 83" landing exercises. In order to intensify the purposefulness of exercise, Taiwan navy has turned the 131 Fleet into the "imaginary enemy fleet" to study our Army's tactics and methods of operation.*Computer Virus Offense-Defense ExerciseAs one of the largest computer software and hardware producing bases in the world, Taiwan has the tremendous potential for computer network war. In the past, in information war simulated confrontation, Taiwan military focused on strengthening its own defense against virus. In the "Han Kuang No.16" exercise held in August last year, Taiwan military for the first time made actual use of computer virus for mutually offense-defense drill and used more than 1,000 kinds of computer virus.Reports say that in recent year, Taiwan military has all along been using the Island's computer resources, engaged in constant study of information war and has developed nearly 2,000 kinds of computer virus. Computer virus offense and defense war will occupy quite an important position in Taiwan military's information warfare. Currently, Taiwan has civilian and military computer communication networks. *Anti-blockade ExerciseTaiwan has a small territory, a shallow strategic depth, a scarcity of resources and a poor war sustaining capacity, so it is most afraid of blockade. For this reason, Taiwan military, in its operational guidelines, has always attached importance to anti-blockade operation. In April-May last year alone, it had twice conducted anti-blockade drills.It is said that "Seagull"-class missile speedboat is the main force of Taiwan's navy for offshore defense and speedy assault. Because its tonnage is small (a fully loaded speedboat is only 56 tons), it is easy to make use of geographical advantages and nighttime to seize favorable offshore strategic position and wait for a chance to launch a surprise attack on the incoming fleets; and it can swiftly get away after launching attacks, thus making it the main force for the navy to employ "guerrilla tactics". *Anti-submarine Operational ExerciseIn recent years, in light of the special geographical environment of Taiwan, Taiwan military has made improvement of its anti-submarine operational capability as the focus of study, listed it as a key line in anti-blockade operation and put forward the idea that the strategic goal of its navy is putting anti-submarine operation first.Currently, Taiwan military forces' anti-submarine operational exercise is made up mainly of air, surface and underwater anti-submarine operations. Between April 6-22, Taiwan navy and Singapore navy jointly held anti-submarine operational exercise in water regions stretching from southwest to southeast of Taiwan Island, Singapore navy sent out two warships to participate in the exercise. Later in June and July of the same year, Taiwan navy again twice conducted exercises. Focus of the exercises was placed on war preparation, leaving ports, formation of ships and aircraft and flexibility, tactical confrontation between navy and air force, war vessel and airplane engage in coordinated search of and attack on submarines, mine-laying and mine-sweeping, electronic war, fire support by warship artillery, etc. At present, Taiwan military, with a view to strengthening its anti-submarine operational capacity, is vigorously developing anti-submarine weapons and equipment, the group of 12 P-3C anti-submarine helicopters the United States sold to Taiwan in the previous stage were regarded as the future anti-submarine operational "core force" by Taiwan navy. *Reserve Force Mobilization ExerciseIn recent years, Taiwan military has attached great importance to the reserve force mobilization construction, Every year, "concentric exercise" centered on the mobilization of human resources and "self-improvement exercise" focused on the mobilization of military supplies industry are held each year. Reserve force mobilization exercise is especially prominent after Chen Shuibian took office.On September 17 last year, Taiwan's "defense ministry" issued a mobilization exercise order through various news media. According to arrangements for the exercise, a total of 7,000 reserve-duty soldiers and more than 200 vehicles and heavy-duty machines were assembled for a week-long educational training. In May this year alone, the Taiwan military again twice conducted exercises involving items such as the assemble of vehicles and the purchase of military supplies and other materials. Additionally, the Taiwan military, in various exercises, gave prominence to urban offensive-defensive exercise, anti-nuclear and bio-chemical exercise, new weapon and army-formation exercise, etc. From these highly purposeful military exercises, it is clear that Taiwan's military exercises have become military explanatory notes on the many political moves taken by "Taiwan independence" force and military tools for guiding foreign forces in their interference in the great cause of China's reunification. Such being the case, there have been frequent reports and comments on the military activities of the Taiwan Army, this has further exposed the vicious intention of the Taiwan authorities to carry out political confrontation with the mainland, attempt to "resist reunification by force" and gain popular support by fraud. By People's Daily Online |
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