Taiwanese troops carried out defensive drills at a strategically important bridge on Thursday as the island continued its annual Han Kuang military exercises aimed at preparing for a potential invasion by China.
The 10-day exercise, which began on Wednesday, is designed to test Taiwan’s combat readiness against a possible attack from Beijing, which claims the self-governed island as part of its territory and has vowed to reunify it with the mainland by force if necessary.
The latest drill focused on the Danjiang Bridge, a newly opened crossing linking New Taipei City to the route leading into the capital, Taipei. Military experts consider the bridge a key chokepoint that could provide invading forces with a direct path towards the capital if captured.
During the overnight exercise, soldiers deployed concrete barriers, barbed wire and sandbag fortifications across parts of the bridge while military vehicles and engineering teams rehearsed defensive operations.
Despite the military activity, sections of the bridge remained open, allowing cyclists and pedestrians to continue crossing while troops carried out the exercise.
Chieh Chung, a researcher at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research, said securing the bridge would be vital during any conflict.
He explained that if Chinese forces managed to seize and keep the bridge open after landing on Taiwan’s northern coast, they could rapidly transport troops and equipment across the Tamsui River, giving them quicker access to Taipei.
Although the drill did not simulate completely shutting down the bridge, it allowed Taiwan’s military to assess how quickly engineers could deploy obstacles and determine the resources needed to block the crossing during wartime.
China has repeatedly increased military pressure around Taiwan, while Taipei continues to reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims and strengthen its defence capabilities.
