Taiwan Launches Largest-Ever Military Drills Amid 2027 War Fears

As tensions with China escalate, Taiwan’s record-breaking Han Kuang military exercises simulate cyberattacks, amphibious invasions, and urban warfare—amid growing concerns of war by 2027. On July 9, Taiwan will launch its annual Han Kuang military exercises—but this year, they are twice as long and larger than ever before. The 10-day war games will include over 22,000 reservists alongside regular forces in what the Ministry of National Defense describes as "unprecedented round-the-clock live-fire combat drills," aimed at simulating realistic wartime conditions. The drills are designed to replicate a multi-stage conflict. In the initial phase, Taiwan will face so-called “grey zone” threats such as cyberattacks and economic coercion. This will be followed by a simulation of a full-scale assault: joint missile strikes and an amphibious landing by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. Troops and reservists will train for combat both along potential beach landing zones and in urban settings. In parallel, civil defense exercises will be held across the island, including simulated missile strikes and mass evacuations, with public transport and business operations temporarily halted in major cities.