Military police deploy tactical vehicles in Taipei key facility drill

Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) Various types of wheeled infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) cruised through the streets of Taipei Thursday as the military police conducted a drill to protect key facilities in Taiwan's capital, the Military News Agency reported.

The "combat reconnaissance patrol drill," conducted by the 239th Military Police Mechanized Infantry Battalion, included CM33 and CM34 IFVs, which rapidly maneuvered to tactical positions, according to the report.

Through readiness inspections, command-and-control communications, logistical support and security measures, the exercise aimed to improve tactical deployment and on-site response capabilities, bolstering defense strength in the garrison area, the report said.

The only armored unit permanently stationed in Taipei, the 239th Battalion carries out special security duties at venues visited by the president and vice president as directed in peacetime, and serves as a dedicated combat-ready force responsible for safeguarding the capital.

In addition to its battalion headquarters in the Dazhi neighborhood, the unit has forces deployed around the Bo'ai Special Zone where the Presidential Office building is located to enable rapid response and support in the event of contingencies.

The capture of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January by the United States has sparked discussions in Taiwan over whether China's People's Liberation Army has the capacity to carry out a similar "decapitation strike" on Taiwan's president.

Asked about the issue, Vice Defense Minister Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters last month that the defense ministry has established rules of engagement regarding contingencies, and Taiwan's armed forces are prepared for "all kinds of scenarios."