Taiwan ramps up combat drills and reservist training as China pressure rises

Taiwan’s defence ministry announced a five‑day “Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise” starting Monday, designed to simulate realistic wartime conditions and improve joint operations, logistics and rapid transition from peacetime to conflict. The drill follows a surge in Chinese military activity, with 21 aircraft, including fighters and airborne early‑warning platforms, operating near Taiwan’s southwest airspace.

In parallel, Taiwan has overhauled its reservist programme, ending the previous dual‑track system and requiring a 14‑day intensive training course. Reservists can now be called for up to four two‑week periods over an eight‑year span, replacing the earlier option of shorter, repeated courses. The change comes as Taiwan extends compulsory service to men born after 1 January 2005 and seeks to strengthen its forces amid mounting tensions with Beijing, which claims the island as part of China.

These measures reflect Taiwan’s broader push to modernise its armed forces and enhance readiness against possible Chinese aggression.