Taiwan's armed forces must test their ability to react immediately in the event of a possible war, as the warning time for a possible Chinese attack is getting shorter. This was stated by Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Ku, quoted by Reuters, reports News.bg.
The statement comes against the backdrop of five-day military exercises for “immediate combat readiness“, which are taking place this week on the island. Taiwan's military is already basing some of its training on a scenario in which China suddenly turns one of its regular military exercises around the island into a real military operation.
Beijing continues to view democratically-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and maintains almost daily military activity in the area. The passage of China's newest aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait has further heightened tensions.
According to Minister Ku, the new exercises place greater emphasis on the ability to quickly transition from peacetime to wartime.
“The goal is to build the speed that we believe is necessary to transition from peacetime to wartime,“ he told Taiwan's parliament.
He said the military must be prepared for a situation in which the time between the first signs of a threat and the need for real action is significantly shorter than previously estimated.
Taiwan regularly organizes such exercises. Earlier this month, the island also demonstrated the new HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, manufactured in the United States and widely used by the Ukrainian armed forces. The large-scale annual exercises “Han Quan“ are also expected to be held in August.
The reaction from the Chinese side was not long in coming. The spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, Zhang Han, said that the actions of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party show a desire for “independence through force“.
She stressed that Beijing continues to support the idea of “peaceful reunification“, but warned that China will not give up the option of using force against any separatist actions aimed at Taiwan's independence.
The last full-scale Chinese military exercises around the island were held in late December.
Meanwhile, Taiwan's President Vladimir Lai Ching-te continues efforts to modernize the army. One of his administration's main goals is to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2030.
During a ceremony to promote senior officers, the head of state called on the military leadership to lead the transformation of the army with innovative thinking. According to him, the rapidly changing regional environment and growing non-traditional threats require accelerated modernization of defense capabilities.
The United States, which remains the most important international partner and main supplier of weapons to Taiwan, continues to support Taipei's efforts to strengthen its defense. The top US diplomat in Taiwan, Raymond Green, said that Washington is working together with its allies in the region to preserve the status quo and prevent any attempt to bring Taiwan under control by force.
The topic is also important for Bulgaria as a member of NATO and the European Union. Although the country is not directly involved in East Asian processes, any potential military escalation around Taiwan could have an impact on global security, international trade, and high-tech supply chains.