Taiwan's military on Monday (June 22) kicked off a five-day “Immediate Combat Readiness Exercise” that experts say will sharpen rapid-response capabilities and counter China's mounting strategic pressure.The Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced the exercise on Sunday (June 21), saying it forms part of the military's annual joint operational training program. The exercise, according to the MND, is designed to familiarize units at all levels with combat procedures and battlefield conditions during the combat readiness deployment phase. It also aims to enhance the armed forces' ability to rapidly transition from peacetime to wartime operations and execute priority deployments. A ROC Army towed missile unit conducts a coastal defense exercise. (MNA) The FujianDuring the exercise, China's aircraft carrier Fujian transited the Taiwan Strait. On Tuesday (June 23), the MND released aerial photographs of the carrier, saying the military had closely monitored its movements through joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.The ministry previously released its first aerial images of the Fujian on Dec. 17, 2025.The carrier's latest deployment drew renewed attention from Taiwan's military as the exercise coincided with heightened cross-strait tensions. In recent weeks, Japan and the Philippines initiated negotiations to delimit maritime boundaries near Taiwan, prompting strong protests from Beijing, which subsequently dispatched official vessels and survey ships into waters east of Taiwan.EncirclementMeanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported on June 19 that Beijing has been steadily tightening its encirclement of Taiwan. The report said Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has sought to isolate Taiwan diplomatically while simultaneously increasing military operations, reconnaissance missions, and patrols around the island, sending a message that Taiwan's resistance to Chinese rule is ultimately futile.Purpose of the exerciseTai Hsiao-chun (戴孝君), secretary-general of the Asia-Pacific Policy Research Association, told TCN the exercise represents one of Taiwan's responses to Beijing's gradually tightening "noose" around the island.Tai said the drills are intended to improve the military's command, control, and communications capabilities, strengthen coordination between higher and lower echelons of command, and enhance interoperability among friendly units.He said that while Taiwan's armed forces routinely practice engagement procedures, such training was previously conducted largely within individual military services. The immediate combat readiness exercise instead emphasizes joint operations among the army, navy, and air force, Tai added.Tai said the exercise is more focused and more closely resembles real-world contingency response operations."The primary objective of this exercise is to familiarize troops with combat procedures and the battlefield environment," he added. A ROC Army M1A2 tank conducts a nighttime combat readiness patrol exercise. (MNA) Multiple objectivesShen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), told TCN the exercise's biggest difference from routine training lies in its focus. Rather than simply improving basic combat skills, he said, it is designed to help forces to respond rapidly to unexpected contingencies and quickly transition into wartime operations.Shen said the exercise reflects not only China's recent escalation of military pressure against Taiwan but also the broader trend that has emerged since 2022, in which Beijing has continuously compressed Taiwan's strategic space through gray-zone operations at sea and in the air. The drills are designed to prepare the armed forces to rapidly shift into combat readiness should gray-zone activities escalate into actual military attacks, Shen said.According to Shen, frequent, realistic training not only improves operational readiness but also strengthens deterrence by demonstrating to Beijing that Taiwan's military has prepared for a wide range of possible scenarios, thereby raising the costs and risks of military adventurism.From training to warSince launching large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in 2022 to protest then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, China has conducted seven major encirclement exercises around the island, the most recent taking place in late December 2025.Taiwan's 2025 National Defense Report stated that China could attempt to transform military exercises into actual combat operations as part of an invasion scenario.Tai said any Chinese military assault on Taiwan would almost certainly require large-scale force mobilization beforehand, making it difficult to launch a surprise attack by seamlessly transitioning from training to combat without detection."The key is the transition itself," he said. "It requires planning, preparation, and the accumulation of sufficient combat power, all of which would produce clear signs of large-scale military mobilization."Based on current technological and battlefield trends, Tai said one of the most significant warning indicators in future conflicts could be the large-scale deployment of drone swarms, adding that the government should carefully consider how to address such threats. A ROC Army unit conducts an airborne resupply training exercise. (MNA) Future directionLooking ahead, Tai said Taiwan's armed forces should continue focusing on improving their ability to respond rapidly to crises and transition quickly into combat readiness.To prepare for future contingencies, he said, the military must enhances its ability to shift seamlessly from peacetime operations to wartime conditions.Preparing for new forms of warfareAsked whether Taiwan's military should expand the frequency or scope of future exercises, Shen said the priority is not necessarily adding more training subjects but continuously strengthening troops' familiarity with operational procedures and improving execution.Through repeated drills, he said, commanders, officers, and enlisted personnel at every level can rapidly understand their responsibilities during emergencies while ensuring logistics and equipment remain fully prepared, thereby improving overall combat effectiveness and response efficiency.Shen suggested that, in addition to existing homeland defense operational plans, the MND should incorporate more emerging threat scenarios into future exercises, including drone attacks, special operations forces infiltration, and attacks on critical infrastructure.