Taipei: Taiwan's military on Thursday conducted an exercise in Yilan County to simulate the blocking of Hsuehshan Tunnel and prevent Chinese forces from using it to advance on Taipei, as part of the annual Han Kuang exercises. The exercise brought together officials from central and local government agencies to set up three barriers under a simulated scenario in which enemy forces attempted to advance through the tunnel.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lin Ta-shun, an official with the Freeway Bureau's Northern Region Branch Office, stated that the exercise was not physically held inside the tunnel due to heavy traffic during the summer vacation period, but instead in an open area near the bureau's Toucheng branch office. The office and the military worked together to block an enemy attack, repair potholes before handing control of the highway over to the military. The drill aimed to test how well the highway system could respond in an emergency.
The exercise scenario reflected various stages of the Urban Resilience Exercise, from initial mobilization and force protection to counter-landing operations and sustained defense. A CNA reporter at the scene observed that a special protection unit simulated setting up three barriers at different points along Hsuehshan Tunnel and carried out emergency repairs to potholes caused by explosions.
Army units involved included the Army Lanyang Regional Command based in Yilan and the 153rd Infantry Brigade, with both active-duty and reserve personnel participating. Drones were also utilized during the exercise to conduct reconnaissance on the approaching simulated Chinese armored force. Troops lured the force into an area portrayed as Hsuehshan, where drones equipped with first-person-view cameras conducted a simulated attack before ground forces engaged the enemy at a barrier.
Elsewhere, the Fifth Combat Theater Command conducted an exercise in central Taiwan against a simulated airborne assault, deploying ground forces, attack helicopters, and drones to repel the invading force. The exercise tested command and control, coordination among different military branches, and the protection of key areas, with drones providing real-time surveillance and aiding in target identification.
Military medical units also held a mass-casualty drill in Taoyuan, simulating a situation in which a military unit came under attack and suffered heavy casualties. The drill tested the military's three-level medical evacuation system, including unit-level medical stations, regional medical facilities, and military hospitals. Simulated casualties were transferred to a casualty evacuation control station for emergency treatment before being moved to hospitals once routes were reopened.
In Taiwan's outlying Penghu County, the reserve command collaborated with the Tzu Chi Foundation and local community groups to rehearse setting up a relief station for civilians requiring emergency shelter and assistance. The drill simulated the mass influx of civilians needing shelter and practiced registration, accommodation, distribution of supplies, and other support services. The exercise aimed to strengthen coordination between military and civilian organizations during an emergency.
A day earlier, an amphibious reconnaissance unit responsible for Penghu's defense conducted a joint fire-strike drill using the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) to transmit battlefield images and identify targets for long-range targeting. The drill tested the sequence of infiltrating an area, acquiring targets, and directing fire.
The annual Han Kuang exercises, which began on August 5 and are scheduled to conclude Friday, are designed to test Taiwan's military readiness and its ability to coordinate with civilian authorities under a range of wartime scenarios.