Defense News

2025/07/17

Ministry of National Defense: Tri-Service General Hospital Conducts First Evacuation Exercise, Minister Koo Commends Wartime Medical Response Measures

Ministry of National Defense Press Release
Time: 1710 hours, July 17, 2025

Tri-Service General Hospital Conducts First Evacuation Exercise, Minister Koo Commends Wartime Medical Response Measures

   The Han Kuang 41 Exercise live-fire drills entered their ninth day, and Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo visited Tri-Service General Hospital today (July 17) to inspect the “casualty evacuation” and medical capacity withdrawal exercise, verifying measures related to large-scale hospital evacuation and sustained medical capacity preservation during prolonged combat operations. Participating personnel completed the exercise as planned, demonstrating the effectiveness of integrated military-civilian medical systems.

   This morning, Minister Koo, accompanied by Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Council Fei-Fan Lin, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Ching-Yi Lin, and other personnel, inspected the live-fire evacuation exercise at Tri-Service General Hospital. Through on-site drills, they reviewed items such as casualty transfer coordination, vehicle dispatch, communication with the Taipei City Joint Response Control Center, road access requests, and counter-intelligence measures, with the process being intense and realistic, striving to align closely with wartime scenarios.

   Minister Koo stated that Tri-Service General Hospital, for the first time in coordination with the Han Kuang Exercise, conducted an evacuation exercise to practically validate how military hospitals can effectively ensure medical capacity and integrate military-civilian resources during wartime. Additionally, through the “After Action Review” (AAR) following the exercise, further improvements to wartime medical measures can be made. After the exercise, Minister Koo presented additional meal allowances, commending the exercise outcomes of units including Tri-Service General Hospital, the National Defense Medical Center, and the Army Third Branch Transportation Group, while expressing appreciation for their dedicated efforts and hard work.

2025/07/16

Ministry of National Defense Statement on the PLA’s Joint Combat Readiness Patrol

Ministry of National Defense Press Release
Time: 1230 hours, July 16, 2025

The Ministry of National Defense stated today (July 16) that, starting at 0807 hours, a total of 38 sorties of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, including J-16 fighters, KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, and drones, were detected conducting maritime activities, with 28 sorties crossing the median line and its extension, entering Taiwan’s central and southwestern airspaces. In coordination with PLA naval vessels, these actions, under the guise of a so-called “joint combat readiness patrol,” disrupted Taiwan’s surrounding air and sea domains. The ROC Armed Forces employed joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance measures to closely monitor the situation and deployed mission aircraft, naval vessels, and shore-based missile systems to respond appropriately.

About MND

The ROC Constitution stipulates that the ROC national defense aims to defend the nation's security and safeguard world peace. Under this, the nation's defense concepts, military strategies, military buildup, and objectives are formulated to prevent conflict. The current international situation and changes to the possible threat to the ROC are also taken into consideration in the making of defense policies at the current stage. The basic objectives are "preventing war," "defending the homeland," and "countering terrorism and responding to contingencies." The higher strategic goal is "effective deterrence, resolute defense" with the establishment of a quality self-defensive force capable of counterattack. China, though calling for reunification, has never renounced the use of force against Taiwan. It has not only deployed an increasing number of ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan but also staged large-scale military exercises with an overt saber-rattling intent to destabilize Taiwan politically and economically. Moreover, its robust economic expansion in recent years has fueled its defense spending for greater military muscle. In order to maintain Cross-Strait stability and avoid a military imbalance in the Taiwan Strait, the ROC government is calling for the establishment of confidence-building measures (CBMs) and a code of conduct on the one hand, and, on the other hand, has been constructing basic defense forces and counterattack capability to safeguard the territory without engaging in an arms race with the other side.

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