Taiwan military practices repelling a Chinese assault from the sea

Taiwan's military conducts drills to simulate repelling a potential Chinese invasion from the sea, enhancing defense capabilities.

Taiwan’s military on Thursday (January 29, 2026) simulated ​repelling a Chinese assault from the sea, integrating shore-launched missiles ‌and drones with fast patrol boats to stop an attempted ​invasion.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan’s government says only the island’s people can decide their future.

Taiwan routinely holds drills ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which begins next month, though these are the first to take place in ​front of the media since China held its latest round of ⁠war games around the island in late December.

Any invasion of Taiwan by China would be very difficult, given that the People’s Liberation Army would have to first cross ​the Taiwan Strait and then ⁠attack the limited number of beaches on the island that would be suitable for landing their forces.

The drill, on a beach that forms part of the Zuoying naval base in the southern city of ‌Kaohsiung, imagined a scenario where Taiwan first detected an unknown boat ‌loitering off the coast - and then sends drones to investigate.

Taiwanese attack drones and fast, missile-armed patrol boats are then pressed ‍into action. Snipers help pick off enemy forces and Taiwan-made anti-ship Hsiung Feng missiles take aim from concealed mobile launchers on the beach.