China has announced a 7.2% increase to defense spending in 2024, taking the total to US$232 billion. Amid high-cross-strait tensions, Taiwan has ramped up night flight training for Air Force pilots, and it plans to add an emergency runway in the east. It also plans to expand its computerized war games in this year’s Han Kuang exercises.

Taiwan’s biggest military drills of the year, the Han Kuang, comprise a tabletop component and live-fire exercises. Amid the rising Chinese threat, this year’s computerized war games will be lengthened from five days to eight. This year will mark the second time since 2021 that the tabletop drills last more than a week.

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
Just now I mentioned that the computer simulation portion of the Han Kuang will last longer, and that’s because of the enemy threat. The situation is quite clear to all. How will the situation continue to develop? We’ll set up potential scenarios and base our training on that.

Conscripts are set to join this year’ s live-fire drills. Not only that, the Air Force has ramped up its nighttime flight training, and plans to add an emergency runway in the east.

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
When we look to add an emergency runway, the guiding principle is that a local government or relevant authority first has to be about to build a road. Only then will we see if this road is suitable as a landing strip in wartime. The relevant details still need to be discussed. We will continue to communicate with relevant government agencies.

Taiwan is ramping up its combat capabilities as China continues its military expansion. Beijing has announced a 7.2% increase to 2024 defense spending, which will now total US$232 billion.

Chiu Kuo-cheng
Defense minister
The first principle that our military abides by is that we will not engage in an arms race. Our enemy is big and we are small. They are strong and we are weak. These are uncontested facts. But we have to strengthen ourselves and train in every aspect. Regarding the delays in arm shipments, overseas military procurement always comes with a degree of difficulty. But currently, everything is progressing smoothly.

Through domestic arms production and overseas procurement, Taiwan is working to strengthen combat readiness, to keep China in check across the strait.

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