Taiwan’s largest annual military drill draws U.S. attention

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan concluded its largest annual military drill, the Han Kuang 41 exercise (漢光41號演習), last Friday (July 18). The 10-day event attracted significant attention from domestic and international observers, particularly from the United States.

American personnel frequently visited various exercises throughout the drill. Charles Flynn, who commanded the U.S. Army Pacific from 2021 to 2024, led a team to inspect the Tamsui River (淡水河) defense line, highlighting American interest in Taiwan's defensive capabilities. Residents reported seeing U.S. military observers interacting with reserve forces in New Taipei's Sanxia (三峽) and Yingge (鶯歌) districts while discussing defense plans with Taiwan's national army in Bali (八里).

Liao Tien-wei (廖天威), an assistant professor at Chinese Culture University (文化大學), noted that U.S. observers focused on Taiwan's ability to delay and deplete the People's Liberation Army (PLA, 解放軍) forces to achieve strategic objectives. According to Liao, the U.S. aimed to understand PLA capabilities and verify Taiwan's military effectiveness.

Yang Tai-yuan (楊太源), chairman of the Secure Taiwan Associate (STA, 安全台灣學會), emphasized this year's different approach to U.S. involvement. Unlike previous exercises observed by retired high-ranking U.S. officers, a complete team assessed Taiwan's military forces.

Retired Major General Kuo Li-sheng (郭力升) explained that the U.S. team evaluated whether Taiwan executed operational plans effectively and utilized forces and firepower appropriately. Kuo stressed that American personnel would not provide on-site instruction but might exchange opinions without interfering with the drills.

Kuo noted that the real challenge following the Han Kuang exercise lies in incorporating lessons learned during the drills into future training and doctrine.