Taiwan concludes naval defense drills

Taiwan's navy concluded three days of New Year military drills with a defensive scrambling exercise at Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung. The exercises showcased the nation's maritime defensive capabilities, featuring its advanced Tuo Chiang-class corvettes leading a flotilla of smaller vessels in the Taiwan Strait.

The Taiwan-made corvettes, nicknamed "aircraft carrier killers," demonstrated their defensive maneuvers alongside four Kuang Hua VI-class missile boats. These state-of-the-art vessels, equipped with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, are designed to counter larger warships while operating near Taiwan's coastline. Their catamaran hull design provides enhanced maneuverability and stealth capabilities.

Navy Captain Chen Ming-feng explained the defensive nature of the exercise, demonstrating how Taiwan's forces respond to approaching threats at sea. The drills also included demonstrations of Taiwan's air force capabilities, featuring Patriot ground-to-air missiles and Ching-kuo Indigenous Defence Fighters.

The exercises come amid ongoing tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and maintains a constant military presence in the region's airspace and waters. Despite Taiwan's naval force being significantly smaller than China's fleet of three aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, and hundreds of warships, the island nation continues to enhance its defensive capabilities.

These drills follow two rounds of major Chinese war games around Taiwan last year, highlighting the sustained pressure that Taipei faces from Beijing. Taiwan maintains its rejection of China's sovereignty claims, asserting that only its people can determine their future.