Taiwan ‘preparing for the worst’ as China begins live-fire drills

Taiwan will “closely monitor” Chinese live-fire drills off China’s coast this week, the democratic island’s defence minister said on Monday. An AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle transonic advanced jet trainer craft lands at Taiwan’s Gangshan Air Force Base. Photo: Taiwan Ministry of National Defense. Chinese maritime authorities announced in recent days that drills would be held from October 12-20 in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control. The drills would be in waters close to China’s coast, according to the official announcements. “Keeping with the principle of preparing for the worst, we will continue to closely monitor all of their activities, whether they involve firing or other military training,” Defence Minister Wellington Koo told reporters. “It should be emphasised here that the PLA’s (People’s Liberation Army’s) constant military drills that cause unease across the Indo-Pacific region deserve our close attention and condemnation.” Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on August 17, 2026. Photo: Wang Yu Ching/Office of the President, via Flickr. China deploys fighter jets, warships and coast guard vessels around Taiwan on an almost daily basis, and regularly conducts military exercises as part of preparations for a potential attack on the island. Taiwan is investing billions of dollars upgrading its defence capabilities, which President Lai Ching-te said on Saturday was to “deter war”, not start one. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office accused Lai of “stoking confrontation across the Taiwan Strait”. Lai’s government has earmarked a record NT$1.1 trillion (US$34.5 billion) in defence spending for 2027, which accounts for more than three percent of GDP. Safeguard press freedom; keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps Make a one-off donation. Dateline:Taipei, Taiwan Type of Story: News ServiceProduced externally by an organization we trust to adhere to high journalistic standards. Agence France-Press (AFP) is "a leading global news agency providing fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the events shaping our world and of the issues affecting our daily lives." HKFP relies on AFP, and its international bureaus, to cover topics we cannot. Read their Ethics Code here More by AFP