Today, August 8th, is Father’s Day in Taiwan. President of the Republic of China, Lai Ching-te, visited Kaohsiung to oversee the “Han Guang 42 Exercise – Coastal Strikes and Nearshore Defense”, urging the armed forces and coast guard colleagues to enhance cooperation during the exercise to strengthen the defense capability of the country’s sovereignty and people’s safety.
The Republic of China Armed Forces’ Han Guang 42 live-fire exercise has been ongoing for 10 days and 9 nights, focusing this year on decentralizing command and control, incorporating the spirit of U.S. military reverse briefings, and integrating the newly formed M1A2T tanks, coastal operations command posts, and network speed disruption drills to comprehensively verify the resilience of overall defense operations.
Today marks the fourth day of the Han Guang exercise, with President Lai Ching-te arriving in the Marine Dragon Camp this morning to oversee the “emergency departure for combat readiness” drill. Accompanying him were officials including National Security Council Secretary-General Wu Zhaoxie, Minister of National Defense Gu Lixiong, Mainland Affairs Council Chairperson Kuan Pi-ling, National Security Council Advisory Committee member Liu Dejin, Deputy Secretary-General Li Wen, Navy Commander Jiang Zhengguo, and Operations Area Commander Liu Weixin.
President Lai Ching-te boarded Missile Fast Boat 64 to hear the briefing on the drills and the pre-departure report from the command deck, encouraging navy officers and coast guard colleagues through onboard announcements. He stated, “At this moment on Missile Fast Boat 64’s command deck, you have received orders for an emergency departure to carry out coastal strikes. The purpose of the Han Guang exercise is to test command coordination, wartime response, and national defense capabilities through live troops, field exercises, and real equipment.”
In the face of external threats and challenges, President Lai Ching-te emphasized the government’s continuous efforts to enhance national defense capabilities, providing maximum support to the armed forces and coast guard colleagues. He urged everyone to actively respond and strengthen cooperation during the exercise to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and people’s safety with solid combat capabilities. He wished everyone a successful mission and commended their hard work.
Subsequently, President Lai Ching-te proceeded to Chai Shan Battle Readiness Road, where he boarded a command vehicle to learn about the overall concept of “coastal strikes.” He then went to Taotzu Beach to oversee the “nearshore defense” drill, listening to a briefing on the special forces equipment and battlefield situation.
President Lai Ching-te shared on Facebook that today, Father’s Day coincides with the ongoing Han Guang 42 exercise. Many military officers and soldiers are still at camp and at sea, carrying out combat readiness and training tasks. For many military comrades, even though they are on duty, they are still thinking of their families.
He expressed gratitude to every military family member for understanding that personnel cannot always be present due to their duties, providing encouragement and support, allowing them to fully engage in training work. The significance of the Han Guang exercise lies in testing the forces’ ability to make quick judgments, adapt, and cooperate in realistic scenarios.
President Lai Ching-te emphasized the importance of identifying and resolving issues during the exercise promptly. With solid preparation in peacetime, the forces can respond more swiftly and robustly to various challenges. On behalf of all the Taiwanese people, he extended the deepest respect and gratitude to all the military brothers and sisters participating in the Han Guang exercise, as well as their supporting families. He wished everyone a happy Father’s Day.