Armored vehicles roll through Taipei in critical facilities drill

Taipei, July 15 (CNA) Clouded Leopard armored vehicle fleets cruised through Taipei streets from the Bo'ai Special Zone to Bo'ai Camp in the Dazhi neighborhood early Wednesday as part of drills testing the military's ability to protect critical facilities during wartime.

The armored vehicles under the 202nd Military Police Command rolled out from a position near the Presidential Office building and advanced to the Ministry of National Defense, with traffic controls in place at major intersections along the route.

The drill was part of Taiwan's Joint Defense Exercises, running from July 13-17, which simulate Chinese forces entering the country's territorial waters and focus on joint operations among the armed services and the execution of a "kill chain" under decentralized command and control, with missions carried out according to the rules of engagement.

According to military officials, Wednesday's drill evaluated the units' ability to prepare forces, assemble by operational sectors, and conduct mobile deployments under a decentralized command structure, while integrating missions such as protection of critical facilities and preservation of combat capabilities.

The officials said the exercise builds on the operational scenarios used during the Immediate Combat Readiness Exercises last month, using simulated contingencies to assess how troops respond to unexpected situations.

The drills, they said, are intended to improve troops' familiarity with their missions, enhance rapid transition from peacetime to wartime operations and priority deployments, and ensure the security of critical infrastructure and key military facilities in the Taipei garrison area while maintaining normal government operations.