Taiwan Completes Han Kuang Drills as US Trains Coast Guard

The Government of the Republic of China concluded its annual Han Kuang military exercises on August 14, 2026. The 10-day drills, which began August 5, represented the largest scale war games for Taiwan since 1984. Defense Minister Wellington Koo noted the exercises utilized an unscripted format and fully operational command centers for the first time to test combat readiness against a potential Chinese invasion.

Simultaneously, the United States deployed a team of instructors to Taiwan from August 10 to 21 to train the Taiwanese coast guard. The two-week program focuses on small-craft operations, team coordination, and maritime patrols. This cooperation follows a surge in China Coast Guard activity, including new patrols in the Western Pacific near Taiwan's east coast that began in June.

Taipei characterized the Chinese maritime activity as provocative and expansionism in disguise. The current training is part of a maritime cooperation framework established by a 2021 memorandum of understanding intended to promote regional security and stability.