Taiwan's armed forces begin their annual Han Kuang military exercises this week to test combat readiness and civil-defense resilience [1, 2].
These drills are critical as the island prepares for the possibility of a Chinese invasion. By integrating civilian and military responses, Taiwan aims to ensure that the entire society can withstand a large-scale conflict, and maintain essential functions under pressure [1, 2].
This year's iteration of the Han Kuang exercises introduces several new components designed to reflect modern warfare. For the first time, the military will conduct a simulated internet disruption to evaluate how the island handles a loss of connectivity [1, 2]. This focus on digital resilience is paired with an emphasis on civil-military cooperation, ensuring that government agencies, and private citizens can support defense operations effectively [1, 2].
The Republic of China military is also adopting rehearsal methods modeled after U.S. standards [1, 2]. These techniques are intended to make the exercises more realistic and unpredictable, moving away from scripted scenarios toward a more dynamic environment. To increase transparency and public awareness, the military has also incorporated embedded journalism into the drills [1, 2].
The exercises take place across the island, focusing on the coordination of various military branches and their ability to mobilize quickly [1, 2]. The overall objective remains the improvement of whole-of-society resilience, treating the defense of the island as a combined effort between the professional military and the civilian population [1, 2].
“Taiwan's armed forces begin their annual Han Kuang military exercises this week”
The shift toward simulating internet outages and adopting U.S.-style rehearsal methods suggests Taiwan is pivoting from traditional territorial defense to 'total defense.' By focusing on civil-military cooperation and digital resilience, the island is acknowledging that a modern conflict would likely involve hybrid warfare—including cyberattacks and infrastructure sabotage—rather than just a conventional naval or aerial assault.
