TAICHUNG: Taiwan’s military began deploying one of its newest and most precise strike weapons on Saturday as part of intensifying drills meant to showcase the island’s determination to resist any Chinese invasion.

Two armoured trucks with HIMARS — High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems — were seen manoeuvring around the city of Taichung near Taiwan’s central coast on the fourth of 10 days of its most comprehensive annual Han Kuang exercises yet. Fire simulation and some live-fire drills are expected next week as more air force planes and naval ships become involved.

In a wartime scenario, said a military officer at the site, it would be vital to conceal HIMARS from enemy aerial reconnaissance, satellites “or even enemy operatives behind our lines” until the order to fire was given.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own and has intensified military pressure around the island over the last five years, staging a string of intense war games and daily naval and air force patrols around the territory.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said it had detected 14 Chinese air force sorties and nine naval ships around the island overnight. Nine of the sorties crossed the me­­dian line, the unofficial barrier between the two sides.

Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty clai­­ms, with President Lai Ching-te saying only Taiwan’s people can decide their fut­ure. China’s defence ministry said this week the Han Kuang drills were “nothing but a bluff” while its foreign ministry said its opposition to US-Taiwan military ties was “consistent and very firm”. Regional military attaches say the HIMARS deplo­y­­ment in a warlike exercise will be closely watched, given that they have been used extensively by Ukr­aine against Russian forces. Australia has also purchased the Lo­­ckheed Martin (LMT.N) systems. Tai­wan took delivery last year of the first 11 of 29 HIMARS units, testing them for the first time in May.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2025