Soldiers rehearsed urban defense operations, made use of the Taipei Metro for tactical mobility and repurposed schools as command posts. The drills began with a simulated "gray zone" cyberattack that took out Taiwan's central command.

The 41st Han Kuang exercise is taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions with China, which claims Taiwan as its own and has vowed to unify with it—by force, if necessary. This year's live-fire component is the longest ever, reflecting the seriousness with which Taipei views the threat.