Taiwan launches extensive west‑coast drill to repel a Chinese amphibious invasion

Taiwan’s armed forces carried out a large‑scale coastal‑defense exercise along the island’s western shoreline near Taichung, covering a 20‑kilometre stretch and eight positions. The drill simulated the repulse of a Chinese amphibious assault with a shortened preparation window – many units arrived only a day before live‑fire operations. Taiwanese troops employed domestically produced Thunderbolt‑2000 rocket launchers mounted on trucks, U.S‑supplied Paladin howitzers, anti‑tank missiles, artillery and mortars to create a “kill zone” against an imagined landing force.

The exercise reflects Taiwan’s shift toward more realistic, rapid‑deployment training amid daily Chinese air and naval activity around the island and Beijing’s continued claim that force may be used to achieve unification. Taiwan’s democratic government stresses self‑determination, while the United States remains a key defence partner supplying equipment and political support.