TAIWAN has launched 14 days of war games to prepare for the “worst case scenario” as tensions with China reach boiling point.
The war games come amid fears that China will invade the island as it assembles vast numbers of warships, jets and barges.
The war games are part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang series of military exercises that put the island's defence capabilities to the test.
The computer drills will use the US-built Joint Theater Level Simulation platform to simulate Taiwan's “worst case scenario” – .
The drills will also simulate “grey zone” activities which are aggressive attacks just short of a full-scale invasion.
And they will likely feature new weapons acquired by the island including M1A2T tanks, HIMARS rocket systems, and land-based anti-ship missile systems.
The computer drills will be followed by live-fire drills – scheduled for ten day in July.
Taiwan's Minister of National Defense Minister Wellington Koo said this year’s exercises are based on a hypothetical invasion by China in 2027.
Institute for National Defense Security Research expert Su Tzu-yun said the purpose of the drills is to assess any shortcomings in Taiwan's readiness for war.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu said that the public used to think that a strike by China would likely come in the form of a missile attack.
But now it seems more likely involve maritime militia vessels, sand dredgers and drones.
Tzu-yun warned that this kind of attack could be even more deadly.
He said that when China is conducting naval and air patrols around Taiwan it normally deploys around six to ten warships.
And if each of these were equipped with vertical launching systems, there could be about 500 land-attack cruise missiles ready to strike targets across Taiwan in just three minutes.
The war games come after China conductedtwo daysof large-scale exercises, including live-fire drills, around Taiwan.
Satellite pictures from the Chinese drills revealed huge hybrid vessels lining up to form a floating bridge during the drills.
The specialised barges connect to form a continuous bridge along which invading ground vehicles such as tanks could trundle ashore.
Huge retractable legs anchor the barges to the seabed like stilts.
Some experts have doubted whether China would be able to cross the Taiwan Strait with sufficient speed and numbers for an invasion.
But this new system is the latest effort to make it possible – and sparked fresh fears that China is gearing up for an attack.
Taiwan has previously accused China of using generative AI to ramp up disinformation against Taiwan.
The island believes the Chinese leader is using the technology to “divide” its population.
And has already shown signs of preparations for a potential war.
The intensive work going on in Chinese shipyards suggests is planning a massive amphibious assault.
is building at least , according to satellite imagery and military sources.
These massive barges are capable of delivering fleets of tanks and the 1.2 million troops experts calculate Beijing would need to invade Taiwan.
The purpose-built bridges resemble the floating Mulberry Harbours used by Allied forces during the landings in June 1944.
Beijing is also building its largest-ever aircraft carrier – capable of launching war jets from four runways at the same time.
China is already engaged in what experts call a “war of words” against Taiwan.
In his New Year's address, President Xi said that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family.
He has previously called the independence of Taiwan a futile effort and that annexation by Beijing is a “historical inevitability”.
