Taiwan begins annual military drills

ISTANBUL

Taiwan's largest annual military exercises featuring live-fire drills began early Monday.

The 40th annual Han Kuang exercises and 47th Wanan air raid drills aim to mimic actual combat and to focus on testing the nation's ability to protect critical supply lines in case of a Chinese blockade attempt, the Taipei Times reported.

The Han Kuang exercises will take place 24 hours a day nationwide until Friday.

A drill designed to test cooperation between the military and civilians for wartime supply missions will be held at a major port in Taiwan during the five-day exercises.

The goal is to ensure that links to the outside world remain open in case of a Chinese blockade.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced in a statement that it plans to launch “news anchors” created using artificial intelligence that can speak 18 different languages.

Using AI technology would improve communication with the international community by sharing information about Taiwan's national defense situation, it said.

The ministry added that air force fighter jets stationed in western Taiwan will be dispatched to Hualien Air Base in the east today as part of a simulation of an invasion.