TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's capital city conducted dual military and urban resilience drills Thursday (July 17), testing defense capabilities against potential invasion scenarios. The exercises, part of the ongoing Han Kuang 41 exercise (漢光演習), included tunnel blockade simulations and civilian emergency response protocols. In the Xiangshan Tunnel, troops practiced defending against a simulated People's Liberation Army (PLA, 解放軍) invasion from the eastern Yilan area, treating the tunnel as Taipei's final defensive barrier.
"Tunnels are enclosed routes—often the fastest way from point A to B. That's why troops must secure all tunnels and key highway points. The goal is to block enemy forces before they can break through or take advantage of these paths," said military and aviation website editor Shih Hsiao-wei (施孝暐). In New Taipei City's (新北市) Shulin area, military personnel conducted helicopter refueling and rearming operations. Four Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters participated in the exercises, demonstrating capabilities for sustained combat support.
Kuo Li-sheng (郭力升), former deputy commander of the 4th Theater of Operations, explained the strategic importance of these operations: "At the start of a full-scale conflict, Army Aviation and Marine units act as strategic reserves. Once the enemy's main landing direction is confirmed, they'll quickly shift into key combat zones to support ground troops in counterattacks." Kuo added that rear-area defense planning is equally crucial. "Rear-area battles are about long-term resistance. Troops form layered defenses to slow the enemy down. All garrison units must stop them from pushing deeper into core defense zones."
Concurrent with military exercises, downtown Taipei hosted urban resilience drills with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) participating. The drills integrated Min-an (民安) and Wan-an (萬安) protocols into a comprehensive civilian defense model. At 1:30 p.m., air raid sirens prompted Mayor Chiang and officials to conduct shelter drills at the Songshan District Office. The group later inspected practices at Raohe Night Market and Songshan MRT Station, with Chiang emphasizing the suitability of MRT stations as shelters due to their depth and structural integrity.
The Han Kuang 41 exercise, now in its ninth day, represents the longest defense drill in Taiwan's history. While officials continue refining crisis response strategies, the hope remains that these preparations will never need to be implemented in a real-world scenario.
