Taiwan's military fired rockets from U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) into the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, marking the first time the system has been used in live-fire exercises targeting waters that separate the island from China. The drills, held on Taiwan's west coast facing China, are part of a broader effort to demonstrate the island's ability to repel a potential Chinese invasion using asymmetric warfare tactics.
The HIMARS, a truck-mounted rocket launcher capable of rapid deployment and relocation, was the centerpiece of the exercise. Soldiers used "shoot-and-scoot" tactics, driving the launchers from hidden positions to fire reduced-range practice rockets that landed in the strait before quickly moving to new hiding spots.
The military stated that the training was conducted with "unwavering determination to protect Taiwan as the nation's strongest force."
The exercise also included 155 mm howitzers and simulated a response to a Chinese invasion, testing rapid deployment and precision-strike capabilities. The U.S.
has encouraged Taiwan to adopt an asymmetric defense strategy, focusing on mobile and cost-effective systems like HIMARS rather than large-scale conventional weapons.
China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province, has consistently opposed such military activities and maintains a daily presence of warships and aircraft near the island. The U.S.
does not recognize Taiwan as a country but opposes any unilateral change to its status by force and remains its primary arms supplier.
In December, the U.S. announced plans to sell 82 additional HIMARS systems to Taiwan as part of a major arms deal, but that package has reportedly been put on hold following a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing last month.