Taiwan Holds Military Drills In Show Of Force

Taiwan's air, sea and land forces conducted live-fire exercises simulating the repulsion of an invading force on Thursday, with President Tsai Ing-wen saying it showed their determination to defend the island.

F-16 and domestically-made Ching-kuo fighter jets launched strikes and tanks raced across inland scrub, firing shells to destroy targets on the beach.

About 8,000 personnel took part in drills, held on a coastal strip near Taichung in central Taiwan.

The drills, dubbed "Han Kuang," are Taiwan's main annual exercises. This year's come as Beijing has stepped up its military activity around the island, including flying fighters and bombers close to what the central government calls its "sacred territory".

Tsai told the troops that the exercises lets the world see Taiwan’s determination to defend its territory.

Tsai, who won re-election by a landslide in January, pledging to stand up to the mainland, has made military modernisation a priority.

Taiwan unveiled its largest defence spending increase in more than a decade last year.

Although Taiwan's military is well-trained and well-equipped with mostly US-made hardware, the mainland has huge numerical superiority and is adding advanced equipment such as stealth fighters and new ballistic missiles. (Reuters)