00:00F-16 fighter jets land in Hualien for a quick pit stop. While the engines are hot, ground crews get
00:07to work, quickly refueling the jets and checking its systems. They're scrambling to get some of
00:12Taiwan's most important weapons back into the fight, practicing key skills as part of this
00:17year's Hanguang exercises. As the drills enter their third day, Taiwan's military hopes the
00:22pressure adds to the realism of this year's drills and tests the country's defense. Over the past
00:27two days, Taiwanese fighter jets have redeployed to the country's east, further from the Taiwan
00:31Strait, to this airfield known as Jiasan Air Force Base. Right, it's well documented that there's
00:38a big mountain on the east coast where a lot of aircraft can hide safely for storage in times
00:45of war or crisis. As much as you want to hide the aircraft, at some point they're going to need to
00:51fly. And once they fly, that puts a big sort of bull's eye on a target for the Chinese to strike.
01:00Fast paced and more realistic, this year's exercises are the largest in the country's history.
01:07And while the Air Force drills in the east, units across Taiwan are working on responsiveness.
01:14Here, learning to recapture ground from enemy forces and evacuate wounded.
01:17Days ago, the majority of these soldiers were civilians. The military says they're using
01:33reservists to improve realism. In a war, thousands will be called up to defend the country.
01:37I don't know if they're using the armed forces, but they're using the information.
01:41Actually, they're the most basic weapons of the後背部隊. I think that through this
01:47practice, the people know that the後背部隊 has a lot of weapons. I think that's a good effect.
01:53From air bases in Hualien to the streets of Taiwan's major cities, country ride
01:57Hanguang exercises will continue for another seven days. And by adding pressure and bringing in different
02:03elements, the military hopes to show the public that its defense capabilities and the threats it faces
02:09are both very real. Justin Wu and Jaime Okon for Taiwan Plus.
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