Taiwan drills to block Danjiang Bridge during Han Kuang war games

Danjiang Bridge Han Kuang exercises Taiwan Chinese invasion President Lai Ching‑te

Taiwan's annual Han Kuang military exercises, which began on Wednesday and run for ten days, included a night‑time drill to seal off the Danjiang Bridge, a strategic chokepoint near Taipei. Soldiers deployed concrete barriers, barbed wire, sandbags and engineering equipment on the world’s longest single‑mast asymmetric cable‑stayed bridge to test how quickly the crossing could be obstructed in a potential Chinese invasion. Defense analyst Chieh Chung of the Institute for National Defence and Security Research warned that if the bridge remained open, Chinese forces could move large numbers of troops and supplies across the Tamsui River and advance toward the capital.

The exercise did not simulate a full closure but gathered data on the speed and resources needed to seal the bridge. In a separate drill on the same day, President Lai Ching‑te rode in an armored personnel carrier to a fortified command centre, rehearsing an evacuation scenario dubbed “Wan Chun” that prepares the government for a possible decapitation strike against Taiwan’s leadership. Both drills are part of the broader effort to improve Taiwan’s defensive readiness amid ongoing cross‑strait tensions.

Entities: Chieh Chung · Danjiang Bridge · Han Kuang exercises · Lai Ching‑te · People's Liberation Army · People's Liberation Army (China) · Taiwan · Taiwan (Republic of China)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 7 SOURCES] The Danjiang Bridge is the world’s longest single‑mast asymmetric cable‑stayed bridge and opened earlier in 2024. (Reuters reports)
[● 7 SOURCES] Engineers erected concrete barriers, barbed wire and sandbags on the bridge during the drill. (Reuters reports)
[● 7 SOURCES] Chieh Chung said controlling the Danjiang Bridge is crucial because if seized open, Chinese forces could quickly move troops across the Tamsui River into Taipei. (Reuters reports quoting Chieh Chung)
[● 7 SOURCES] Taiwanese troops practiced defending the Danjiang Bridge during the Han Kuang exercises on 7 August 2024. (multiple Reuters reports)
[○ 1 SOURCE] President Lai Ching‑te participated in an armored‑vehicle evacuation drill as part of the Han Kuang exercises. (CNN report)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The evacuation drill is called “Wan Chun” and simulates response to a decapitation strike against Taiwan’s leadership. (CNN report)
[● 7 SOURCES] The Han Kuang exercises last ten days and began on Wednesday. (multiple Reuters reports)
[● 7 SOURCES] The drill did not simulate a full closure of the bridge but gathered data on how quickly engineers could deploy obstacles. (Reuters reports)