INTERVIEW/Taiwan military boosts readiness amid rising China threat: Defense minister

Taipei, May 23 (CNA) Taiwan's armed forces are focused on combat readiness as a core element of deterrence in response to growing threats from China, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) told CNA.

Speaking in an interview marking one year since he took office under President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Koo said the military is undergoing a critical transformation to better respond to mounting hostility from Beijing.

"We are on an island. We need to stock up on military supplies if China launches attacks in waves. We may even have to face a war of endurance," he said.

To prepare for such scenarios, the armed forces have adjusted their training programs. Koo said new training subjects have been added for conscripts and senior officers, including content related to newly acquired military equipment.

He said the goal is to "prepare for war," and that readiness is fundamental to maintaining deterrence.

Koo also pointed to Taiwan's continued emphasis on asymmetric warfare, particularly following the extension of compulsory military service to one year as of Jan. 1, 2024. Systems such as air defense units, drones and mobile radars are part of Taiwan's strategy to ensure precision and flexibility in the face of a numerically superior adversary.

Koo, who previously served as secretary-general of the National Security Council under the administration of former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), introduced an unscripted format to the 2024 Han Kuang military exercises to reflect more realistic battlefield conditions.

He said the military must assess whether troop planning and positioning are adequate for situations in which the Chinese People's Liberation Army unexpectedly escalates exercises near Taiwan into actual attacks.

This scenario was the basis of March 17-21 drills, which addressed risks posed by "gray zone" tactics -- coercive actions that stop short of direct conflict.

The annual Han Kuang exercises are scheduled for July 9-18 this year -- significantly longer than last year's five-day war games, which were shortened by a typhoon. Koo emphasized that the purpose of the exercises is to identify flaws in current plans and troubleshoot problems.

Koo also said that a review of troop numbers is planned for the second half of the year, in light of ongoing military upgrades. The review will assess whether adjustments are needed across different units.

He noted, for example, that the U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket system can be operated by just three soldiers, while the M110 self-propelled howitzer requires five to eight -- a difference that could affect how individuals are deployed.