Taiwan President Lai Ching-te Participates in Han Kuang War Games Simulating Defense Against Chinese Attack

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te participated in the 10-day Han Kuang war games, which commenced on August 5, 2026, to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion. Lai donned body armor for the 'Wan Chun' evacuation drill to a fortified command center and later boarded a fast-attack missile boat in Kaohsiung to oversee coastal strike drills. The exercises mobilized 20,000 reservists, deployed Patriot and Tien-Kung III missile systems, and simulated defenses against decapitation strikes and island-seizure scenarios.

Han Kuang war games exercises

• ▪The Han Kuang exercises featured nationwide drills, including logistics trials in central Taiwan, road barrier deployments in Kaohsiung, and tactical training for troops sent to outlying islands.
• ▪Taiwanese troops deployed Patriot and Tien-Kung III air defense missile systems to tactical positions in riverside parks in Taipei and New Taipei City during the Han Kuang exercises.
• ▪Taiwanese authorities announced plans to deliberately slow mobile internet speeds for the first time to test emergency communications during a simulated crisis or invasion.
• ▪Taiwan commenced its 10-day annual Han Kuang military exercises on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, to test combat readiness and defense capabilities against a potential Chinese invasion.

Presidential evacuation drill

• ▪Taiwan President Lai Ching-te participated in the 'Wan Chun' evacuation drill on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, traveling in an armored personnel carrier to a fortified command center.
• ▪The 'Wan Chun' drill, dating back to the Cold War era, simulates the evacuation of Taiwan's leader to a safe location during a war or emergency to maintain government operations.
• ▪Taiwan's military mobilized approximately 20,000 reservists during the first two days of the Han Kuang exercises to practice defending critical infrastructure like ports, power plants, and bridges.

Decapitation strike defense

• ▪Taiwan's military practiced rapidly reinforcing Green Island and Lanyu to prevent Chinese forces from seizing them as forward bases for helicopter and drone operations.
• ▪Taiwanese troops practiced defending the Danjiang Bridge over the Tamsui River to simulate blocking a potential shortcut for Chinese forces attempting to capture Taipei.

Coastal missile boat operations

• ▪President Lai Ching-te boarded a Kuang-Hua VI-class fast-attack missile boat at a naval base in Kaohsiung on Saturday, August 8, 2026, to oversee coastal strike drills.
• ▪President Lai Ching-te observed the installation of missile launchers on an Anping-class Coast Guard catamaran, designed to support the navy with anti-ship capabilities during wartime.

Low-flying attack drone deployment

• ▪President Lai Ching-te observed a demonstration of low-flying attack, scout, and medium one-way drones simulating defensive operations against a Chinese assault over the coastline and sea.
• ▪Reservists and active troops in Changhua County and eastern Taiwan conducted wartime readiness training, including drone reconnaissance exercises and military-civilian logistics coordination.

China invasion threat preparedness

• ▪China claims sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan and has vowed to bring the island under its control, refusing to rule out the use of military force.
• ▪The Japanese government's 2026 Defense White Paper highlighted growing tensions over Taiwan, noting that Chinese military air sorties around the island increased from 970 in 2021 to 2,600 in 2025.
• ▪Taiwan's defense ministry detected 14 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships operating around the island on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, amid ongoing gray-zone military pressure.