Taiwan to test shifting weapons production during major military exercise

Taiwan will carry out a new military exercise next month to test whether it can continue producing weapons if key defence facilities come under attack during a conflict with China. The drills will include relocating arms production lines and converting civilian factories into military manufacturing sites to ensure the armed forces continue receiving essential equipment even if major supply hubs are damaged.

The exercise will take place as part of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang war games, scheduled from August 5 to August 14. According to the Ministry of National Defense, the scenario will simulate China using its regular military exercises as cover to prepare for a full scale invasion. Taiwan’s armed forces will respond by immediately increasing combat readiness and launching rapid defensive operations.

One of the main objectives is to determine whether industrial production can be spread across different locations without disrupting the supply of military equipment. Officials say maintaining manufacturing capacity during wartime is essential because China would likely target command centers, ports, logistics networks and defence factories early in any military campaign.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has never ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan strongly rejects those claims, maintaining that it is already a self governed and independent nation.

Major General Lu Wen-yuan, who heads the Joint Operations Division, said the exercise will assume that Chinese forces use their routine annual military drills to hide preparations for a large scale assault. Under the scenario, Taiwan will activate emergency measures and begin moving critical defence production away from vulnerable locations.

The drills will include the simulated relocation of the Armaments Bureau’s 202nd Arsenal in Taipei. Civilian factories responsible for assembling complete military systems will also be mobilized after emergency orders are issued. The exercise is designed to measure how quickly industries can shift operations while continuing to meet the military’s needs during a crisis.

Taiwan will also examine its ability to keep vital shipping routes open if conflict disrupts normal transport. The navy and coast guard will conduct joint operations using personnel, equipment and live ammunition. These exercises will include escorting shipments of essential supplies, protecting coastal areas, carrying out maritime law enforcement missions and testing upgraded coast guard vessels.

The military planning comes as Taiwan reports a noticeable increase in Chinese coast guard activity around the island. Officials in Taipei believe the growing presence could signal greater pressure on Taiwan’s eastern coastline and threaten sea routes that are critical for importing fuel, food and other strategic supplies.

For the first time, the Han Kuang exercises will also include a nationwide communications test. Mobile internet speeds will be deliberately reduced during parts of the ten day exercise to assess how the public and emergency services would communicate if network capacity became limited because of natural disasters or military action. Authorities hope the test will help identify weaknesses in emergency communication systems and improve the island’s ability to function during a prolonged crisis.

The expanded drills reflect Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen its overall resilience against potential military threats. By preparing industries, transport networks and communication systems for wartime conditions, officials aim to ensure that the island can continue supporting both its armed forces and civilian population even if key infrastructure comes under sustained attack.