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According to Focus Taiwan, the Army’s 53rd Engineer Group took center stage in the drill, placing combat obstacles and remotely detonating explosives across a strategic stretch of the Tamsui River, a critical entry point to the capital. For the first time, the military publicly demonstrated live explosive deployment–an unprecedented move seen by observers as a necessary deterrent against China’s expanding military aggression.
Military analysts say the simulation reflects growing urgency within Taiwan’s defense strategy. The Tamsui River, which leads directly into the heart of Taipei, poses a significant risk should China launch a rapid amphibious assault using hovercrafts or unmanned systems. In response, the military established three defensive lines using pontoons, fixed nets, oil barrels, and amphibious equipment, supported by reconnaissance drones and covering fire from the Guandu Area Command.
Chieh Chung, a defense researcher at the Association of Strategic Foresight, told Focus Taiwan that training with live explosives enables the Armed Forces to calculate the optimal density of ordnance needed to neutralise Chinese fast boats and underwater vehicles–tools the CCP is known to deploy in gray zone operations and full-scale invasions alike.
Separately, Taiwan’s Matsu Defense Command reported a simulated drone threat over Nangan Island. Troops swiftly mobilised to intercept unidentified aerial vehicles, highlighting growing concerns over China’s increasing use of drones to test Taiwan’s defenses and probe airspace violations.
Focus Taiwan noted that these drills underscore Taiwan’s preparedness in the face of China’s escalating authoritarianism and military intimidation. With Beijing continuing to threaten democratic Taiwan with force, the Han Kuang exercises are a blunt reminder: Taiwan is ready, willing, and capable of defending its sovereignty.
