What is the Han Kuang exercise?

It is Taiwan's largest annual military drill, testing command readiness under realistic combat scenarios.

Why is legislative reporting necessary?

As a democratic military, legislative oversight ensures transparency and accountability.

Does the U.S. participate in the exercise?

The U.S. does not directly join, but provides advisory support on tactics and training methods.

Influence Exercise? Defense Minister Called to Report on First Day of Han Kuang Drill: Koo Says Legislative Oversight Helps Military Preparedness

Published Aug 5, 2026 10:39 AM ・ Updated Aug 5, 2026 11:22 AM ・ 4 min read ・ Source: PR Times

Taiwan's annual major military exercise 'Han Kuang 42' began today, with Defense Minister Koo Li-hsiung attending a legislative briefing on the first day. He emphasized that legislative oversight supports national defense readiness and that drills will continue as planned despite Chinese provocations.

Taiwan's annual major military exercise, Han Kuang 42, commenced today (5th), launching a 10-day, 9-night continuous drill. Concurrently, the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee scheduled a special report titled 'How the Military Strengthens Troop Psychological Resilience and Combat Spirit in Response to Rising Threats,' with the Minister of National Defense and senior military officials attending to answer questions.

Regarding being summoned to the legislature on the first day of the exercise, and whether this affects training, Defense Minister Koo Li-hsiung stated, 'Legislative oversight also helps strengthen military preparedness. Exercises like Han Kuang are part of this process, and we respect it.'

On U.S.-Taiwan cooperation during this Han Kuang exercise, Koo explained that the live-force drill is the final validation of the Han Kuang series, following computer-simulated war games, immediate readiness drills, joint defense drills, and now live exercises—all conducted through realistic training. He emphasized the 'scenario-based, no-script' approach, continuously testing command judgment, decision-making, and order execution under dynamic, ad-hoc conditions.

Koo noted that military exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. have become increasingly close. By learning from U.S. combat experience, Taiwan's military is enhancing its operational capabilities. The ROC Armed Forces welcome cooperation with allied partners to strengthen overall defense preparedness.

In response to China's 'Joint Combat Readiness Patrol' conducted yesterday, which appears to be a provocation against the Han Kuang exercise, Koo stated, 'China's harassment around the Taiwan Strait is nothing new, nor is the joint readiness patrol. The military has faced such disruptions during past exercises and has response plans in place. The drills will not be interrupted by Chinese provocations and will proceed as scheduled.'

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Source: PR Times
Category: Event

Influence Exercise? Defense Minister Called to Report on First Day of Han Kuang Drill: Koo Says Legislative Oversight Helps Military Preparedness

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