Taiwan's military has begun its annual large-scale exercise, which it describes as the most realistic ever conducted, aiming to test responses to unexpected enemy movements and will include internet access restrictions.
On Wednesday, 5 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Taiwan commenced its major annual military drill to assess commanders' ability to handle unexpected enemy actions amid escalating tensions with China, while internet access was restricted.
The 10-day “Han Kuang” exercise, starting Wednesday (5 Aug), will for the first time slow mobile internet speeds to test civilian communication under bandwidth constraints, and deploy reporters on the ground to evaluate news dissemination and counter disinformation from adversaries.
Additionally, the military will trial the U.S. military’s “back-briefing” method, requiring subordinates to repeat orders back to commanders to ensure mutual understanding of objectives.
Regarding defense operations, Taiwan will test dispersal of fighter jets, emergency naval deployment, relocation of munitions and supplies, mobilization of private factories for support, and escort drills for Pacific Ocean maritime supply routes vulnerable to potential Chinese blockade aimed at cutting off allied supply lines in wartime.
Taiwan stated this exercise is conducted under the most realistic conditions to date, improving on past criticisms of being overly staged, while mobilizing over 20,000 reservists to prepare the nation’s forces for a potential real conflict.
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Source:cna