TAIPEI—Taiwan kicked off a month of military exercises on Tuesday designed to test the island's defences in the event of attack by giant neighbour China, which considers the island its own.
The exercises come amid calls for Taiwan to move forward with plans to buy advanced weapons from the United States, which recognises Beijing's "one China" policy but is Taiwan's biggest arms supplier.
The first exercise was aimed at testing the military's ability to protect leaders and ensure continuity of government in the event of attack, the National Security Council said in a statement.
As part of that drill, in which much of the island ground to a halt for a half hour, President Chen Shui-bian was whisked away by armoured car.
"Only by deliberating and planning for war in times of peace can we be prepared and trained to respond during times of conflict," Chen was quoted as saying in a statement.
China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the democracy of 23 million people back under mainland rule, by force if necessary.
China backs up its threats by aiming over 900 missiles at Taiwan, according to the Taiwan government's estimate.
The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, but is obliged by the Taiwan Relations Act to help defend the island.
Taiwan's military and analysts increasingly feel China would avoid an amphibious invasion to win back the island and rather opt for a surprise attack against key installations and so-called "decapitation strikes" aimed at Taiwan leaders.
More exercises will be held next week when the military will use computers to play out a simulated attack by China over five days, said military officers.
That will be followed in May by actual military manoeuvres involving the island's army, navy and air force.
The exercises would not be affected by a suspected leak of details about the war games by a senior officer, said military officials.
A colonel at the National Defense University took computer files containing details of the exercise home, where it is believed they may have been accessed by Chinese hackers, ministry officials have said.
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