Taiwan to simulate Chinese invasion in major drill

By Yimou Lee and Fabian Hamacher

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will simulate a Chinese blockade and invasion of the democratic island in its annual military and civil defence drills next week, as President Lai Ching-te warned on Tuesday the island was already facing China's "war without gun smoke".

The annual Han Kuang exercises starting on July 9 will last for 10 days and mobilize more than 22,000 reservists, both unprecedented in length and scale. Taiwan is facing ramped-up military pressure by China which considers the separately governed island as its own despite Taiwan's strong rejection.

Addressing soldiers in a video ahead of Han Kuang, Lai said in recent years Taiwan has been constantly preparing for a "war without gun smoke" such as Chinese infiltration and disinformation attacks.

"However, there is no need to worry because the democratic, free, and prosperous Taiwan of today is the result of the Taiwanese people's courage, conviction, and action in fighting their way through various challenges, and the unity and resilience of the Taiwanese people has been demonstrated."

Tung Chih-hsing, head of the defence ministry's joint combat planning department, said drill scenarios included "joint fire attack and the sea ferry of the landing group by the Communist Army" and Taiwan's armed forces will practice building up a "chain of strikes" with naval and air precision attacks.

"We are demonstrating our determination and ability to defend ourselves with practical actions," Tung told a press briefing in Taipei, adding the armed forces will upgrade its combat readiness level if China launches "targeted drills" in response.

Civil defence drills will be held alongside Han Kuang, including issuing missile alerts and evacuation drills that will temporarily shut business and suspend traffic in major cities including the capital Taipei.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Lai has since June given three speeches in what will be a series of 10 on "uniting the country" ahead of a July 26 recall vote for around one quarter of parliament's lawmakers - all from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party.

Beijing had angrily rebuked some of Lai's recent remarks as the two capitals clashed over their competing interpretations of history in an escalating war of words over what Beijing views as provocations from Taiwan's government.

Civil groups involved in the recall campaign has framed the election as a no-confidence vote against what they see as Beijing-friendly lawmakers who are working to undermine Taiwan's democracy, a position strongly rejected by the KMT.

(Reporting By Yimou Lee and Fabian Hamacher; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)