The Taiwanese government is reshaping its defense strategy in the face of increasing military pressure from China. A new report says the island nation’s military training will focus on realistic threat scenarios to counter threats launched by Beijing in its immediate vicinity. While the Taipei government recognizes the threat posed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), it has emphasized the need for more comprehensive steps to deter and, if necessary, counter an invasion. This approach is central to China’s Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), which was released last month and recently completed in English.
Emphasis on Realism in Education: Calls for Support from the US Resonate
The QDR document clearly stated that the determination to improve the quality of military training was made, stating that “training courses and their intensity will be increased in order to enhance the combat skills of units at all levels and to increase their immediate combat readiness.” According to the observations of a Defense News reporter, current military training in Taiwan often resembled pre-planned and choreographed exercises, far removed from the complexities of modern warfare. This lack of realism was known to be a problem frequently mentioned by US observers and advisors.
Rupert J. Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, told Defense News that the QDR’s desire for better training is an important self-criticism. “Training is a big area of needed progress,” Hammond-Chambers said, noting that the effort also aligns with U.S. efforts to support expanded training in Taiwan. Randall Schriver, president of the U.S.-based Project 2049 Institute, also argued in a U.S. Senate hearing in late March that Washington should do more to train Taiwanese forces. “This has been taboo for decades, and now we’re making them more professional, more skilled, because they’re paying more attention to training,” Schriver said, adding that Taiwan’s new approach has had positive effects.
“Realistic Combat Training” Against China’s New Tactics
The QDR report listed methods such as “realistic combat training conducted on-site and in real time between forces,” among ways to improve the situation. It emphasized that this approach was a necessity “in response to the enemy’s diversified threats and rapid changes on the battlefield.” One example of China’s evolving tactics is the introduction of new landing barges that appeared in satellite imagery in January. These mobile bridges were used in a PLA exercise off the Guangdong coast in mid-March. These innovative vehicles allow for the rapid transportation of military vehicles and supplies from ship to shore, significantly increasing the logistical capabilities of a potential amphibious operation.
Andrew Erickson, a professor of strategy at the U.S. Naval War College, said China’s new bridge barges are “absolutely tailor-made for the Taiwan invasion scenario.” The 800-meter-long causeway, created by a series of three landing bridges, allows civilian or military vessels to dock directly on the beaches and unload equipment. The unique platform “could represent the missing piece in China’s attempt to deploy follow-on forces, ferried to the most advantageous locations along Taiwan’s coastline, to support an amphibious assault,” Erickson said. Due to terrain conditions, the Project 2049 Institute had previously identified only 14 Taiwanese beaches suitable for large-scale amphibious landings. But these new bridge barges complicate the equation for Taiwanese defense planners by increasing the number of potential landing areas. Taiwan's defence review called on the armed forces to "construct realistic battlefield environments for joint training and exercises, inter-force exercises and live-fire drills to verify their results in close proximity to realistic combat conditions".
Extension of Military Service and New Educational Content
Last year, Taiwan extended the length of military service from four months to 5 months, citing “enemy threats.” However, low morale and retention problems persist, and inadequate training is known to contribute to these problems. In the past, soldiers only had limited opportunities to fire rounds during their military service. But the QDR promises that soldiers will now be taught how to use sophisticated weapons such as man-portable air defense missiles, drones and anti-tank rockets. Despite these weaknesses, Hammond-Chambers said the latest QDR “grapples with the full range of threats” and believes Taiwan is taking the PLA threat seriously enough. “Defense spending has doubled over the past eight years, and the level of support from the United States has improved in many, but not all, areas,” she said, highlighting positive developments in Taiwan’s defense preparations. There are “real bright spots” in Taiwan’s preparedness, such as deterring a kinetic invasion, Hammond-Chambers warned, “but there is still much work to be done in areas such as the grey zone, the blockade and critical infrastructure.” Taiwan’s military has a significant opportunity to showcase its training improvements when this year’s major Han Kuang exercise begins on April 8. The two-week tabletop exercise is an expansion of the training compared with last year’s eight-day program. The war games create scenarios where the PLA’s frequent military exercises could escalate into a real attack on Taiwan, said Maj. Gen. Tung Chi-hsing, director of the Joint Operations Planning Department of the Ministry of National Defense. The live-fire portion of Han Kuang will take place from July 18-14, and the mobilization of reservists will be increased from 20 last year to XNUMX this year. The increase is seen as another indication that Taiwan is taking its defense preparations seriously.
