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[Global Times Special Correspondent Chen Lifei] Taiwan's "Han Kuang 40" exercise has begun actual combat drills. The Taiwan military claims that "there is no script, no acting", but from the first day on July 22, there are many traces of "acting", and there was also a collision with a civilian vehicle. On the second day, many exercise courses were cancelled due to the typhoon, and many phenomena that contradicted the "no script" also raised a big question mark on the effectiveness of the exercise on the island.

“They don’t even know how to evacuate and shelter.”

July 23 was the second day of the Taiwan military's "Han Kuang 40" exercise. According to Taiwan media reports, one of the exercises that morning was an "overall air defense exercise". After the Taiwan Army's 58th Artillery Command Air Defense Battalion, which was responsible for the air defense of the "Fifth Operation Zone" (central part of the island), moved into the tactical position, it immediately used the "Avenger" missile vehicle to conduct air search and alert, build a short-range protection network, and complete the engagement preparation according to standard operating procedures; then, under the guidance of the superior's release of the situation, it simulated the attack on the enemy's low-altitude targets, and the missile squad leader issued an engagement order, simulating the search, locking, and launching of "Stinger" missiles against the "enemy aircraft" attacking from the air.

Taiwan's China Times reported on the 23rd that in the early morning of that day, officers and soldiers of the Taiwan "Military Police Command" conducted a bridge closure drill at the Huacui Bridge across the Xindian River, mainly simulating the impact of the so-called "cognitive warfare" of the mainland on Taiwanese people when a conflict breaks out, and the reaction of officers and soldiers when some people want to cross the bridge by force on the grounds that their family members are in Taipei City Hospital. However, retired Taiwanese Army Major General Li Zhengjie found that during the exercise, a group of Taiwanese soldiers squatted in a conspicuous place without shelter. He bombarded that a group of people were crowded together and could not even evacuate and take shelter, and they might be wiped out by one shot. The "basic combat training of the Taiwanese army is really terrible."

On the 23rd, Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te went to Hualien to inspect the "Han Kuang" exercise as planned. In addition to going to Jiashan Base to watch the potential installation of fighter jets, he also learned about the triage and evacuation of a large number of wounded. According to the Taiwan military's exercise plan, in order to deal with casualties during wartime, the Taiwan Air Force Base Medical Department set up "wounded assembly points" at various locations in the base. Its combat wound rescue process includes 6 points, namely, massive bleeding, respiratory tract, respiratory system, circulation, hypothermia and full body examination. Taiwanese media noticed that Lai Ching-te was wearing a military uniform.

A car accident happened on the first day.

Although the "Han Guang" exercise is said to strengthen the combat readiness of the Taiwan military, it is actually a big discount. According to Taiwan's "China Times", the "Third Operation Zone" was originally scheduled to conduct anti-landing and anti-aircraft landing exercises at Guanyin Beach in Taoyuan on the morning of the 23rd, and anti-aircraft landing exercises at Guandu Plain in the evening, but considering the impact of Typhoon "Gemi", it was decided to cancel. Taiwan's "Ministry of National Defense" spokesman Sun Lifang said on the 23rd that the exercise courses will be adjusted in succession according to the different sea and air conditions in various places, and troops must be deployed according to disaster relief. He also said that "maximizing the closeness to actual combat" does not mean actual combat, and risk management is something the military must take into account.

In addition, a car accident occurred on the first day of the "Han Kuang" exercise. According to Taiwan's United News Network on the 23rd, the car accident occurred at around 8 pm on the 22nd, in the direction of Guandu Bridge from Bali Ferry in New Taipei City. At that time, a civilian car collided with the CM34 "Clouded Leopard" armored vehicle of the 269th Brigade of the Taiwan Army (as shown in the picture). The Sixth Army Corps of the Taiwan Army stated that the cause of the car accident and the responsibility for the accident are being investigated by the New Taipei City police. Some Taiwanese media said that the driver of the car may face a sky-high compensation of more than 100 million New Taiwan dollars. However, according to Taiwanese media reports on the 23rd, it is understood that the military vehicle should be more responsible for the accident, but the conclusion still needs to wait for the accident appraisal report to count.

The "Clouded Leopard" armored vehicle collided with a private passenger car in Bali District, New Taipei City on the 22nd. Photo from Taiwan's China Times News Network

"False pretense"

Lai Ching-te claimed on the 23rd that this "Han Kuang" exercise was conducted in a "unscripted, actual combat" manner to respond to changes in enemy threats and verify the adaptability of all soldiers. But the reality was very "face-slapping". Some Taiwanese media reported that on the 23rd, as the rain in Hualien area eased, the Taiwan Air Force base resumed operations and several fighter planes slid out. During Lai Ching-te's inspection, two F-16 fighter planes took off and performed missions, "making aviation fans outside the venue jokingly say that they were specially flown for Lai to see". According to the China Times, the Taiwan military's "Fourth Operational Zone" set out from the Wanjin Camp on the 22nd to the Pingtung Base to carry out anti-airborne missions. When passing by a kindergarten in Neipu Township, nearly 200 teachers and students lined the road waving flags and shouting "Come on".

Huang Junmin, a retired lieutenant colonel and well-known military writer from Taiwan, said that the Taiwan military had previously emphasized that the "Han Kuang" exercise was "unscripted, spoiler-free, and practical", but now there are clips of children cheering for the army. Everyone at the scene had a small flag and some people even made billboards. There were also photographers on the scene, which indirectly showed that the time and route of the convoy were known to everyone. Many netizens on the island left comments on Huang Junmin's post, saying, "The exercise is considered a combat. If even ordinary people can easily understand the route of the troops, then..." "I don't believe that there was no mobilization."

United News Network commented that if the route and time of the Taiwan military convoy's maneuver were not known in advance, the people and teachers and students were not mobilized to take to the streets with flags, and the media was notified in advance, how could such a picture be there? Another example recently is: the photographer was fishing on the bridge, and on both sides were soldiers hiding under the guardrails and aiming at the front. "Once they were shot, there would be casualties immediately." "Such a 'professional' performance, how can it not be creepy?" The article said that in recent years, the Taiwan military has become a "punching bag" criticized by all walks of life, and as a result, it has become a frightened bird, and it must emphasize to the outside world that everything is perfect. As a result, "the trend of false pretense is worse than in the past." But the exercise is not a military parade, and the core purpose is not to show the expansion of the military, but to take the opportunity to expose the shortcomings of training. If the superiors turn a blind eye, the grassroots will naturally follow suit, "then the 'Ministry of National Defense' talks about reform, which is just another version of the slogan."