Special Report: Taiwan outlines priorities for ‘Han Kuang 42' exercise

Taiwanese soldiers carry artillery shells for an M109A2 self-propelled howitzer during a live-fire training exercise in Taichung, central Taiwan, in June 2026. (Cheng Yu-chen/AFP via Getty Images))

Taiwan has outlined the key phases, planned activities, and training priorities for the ‘Han Kuang 42' live-force exercise scheduled to be held from 5 to 14 August, providing fresh insight into how it is seeking to strengthen military readiness and wartime resilience.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced on 28 July that ‘Han Kuang 42' will follow a continuous, year-round training model designed to strengthen military units' ability to respond in a realistic combat environment.

The August field-training phase marks the 42nd iteration of ‘Han Kuang' and comes amid sustained People's Liberation Army (PLA) activity around Taiwan.

Taiwan conducted the computer-assisted command-post phase of ‘Han Kuang 42' in April to strengthen commanders' operational guidance, decision making, staff judgment, and planning capabilities. The exercise was intended to support the high level of combat readiness required for defensive operations.

In recent years, the PLA has increasingly conducted large-scale drills involving joint air and maritime operations, simulated blockade activities, and exercises around Taiwan to demonstrate its ability to project force.

Beijing also uses such exercises to signal opposition to political developments in Taiwan and foreign engagement with Taipei.

Key phases

According to the MND, the first phase of ‘Han Kuang 42' will focus on the combat-readiness deployment of Taiwan's military, the Republic of China (RoC) Armed Forces. It is based on a scenario in which China's PLA conceals preparations for an attack on Taiwan under the cover of an annual joint exercise or large-scale amphibious assault training.