Taiwan arms coast guard with missiles in 33 Han Kuang drills

Taiwan is folding its coast guard into frontline defense, arming patrol cutters with antiship missiles and rehearsing anti-blockade operations as Beijing's maritime pressure escalates.

Taiwan's coast guard participated in 33 drills during this year's 10-day Han Kuang exercises, deploying missile-armed cutters to rehearse anti-blockade operations and amphibious invasion response as Chinese naval and coast guard vessels press closer to the island.

"The Taiwanese coast guard culture is anchored on coastal defense and law enforcement missions, not preparing for big navy, counter-blockade operations," said Ian Easton, associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College. "That's why enhanced training and exercises are so important."

The 213-foot Bali fast-response cutter, primarily used for rescue operations and dispersing fishing boats, can load Taiwan's Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III antiship missiles — a capability shared by at least 11 other coast guard cutters of the same size. The supersonic Hsiung Feng III carries a 496-pound warhead up to 93 miles at speeds reaching 1,745 mph. The cutters are part of a 10-year plan begun in 2018 to add 141 new ships to Taiwan's coast guard.

The shift comes as China sends warplanes and warships near Taiwan almost daily and uses its own coast guard — now the world's largest — to pressure Taipei. Taiwan's defense spending is set to rise to 5 percent of GDP by 2030, though opposition parties in parliament have already cut $15 billion from a $25 billion special defense package requested by President Lai Ching-te's government.

Coast guard joins the front line

In wartime, the Bali and any other coast guard vessels needed would fall under the command of the navy, according to Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration. The navy has been training coast guard personnel to enhance interoperability, and during joint combat exercises last year, the coast guard tested live-firing of two Hsiung Feng II missiles from a cutter similar to the Bali.

The anti-blockade escort drill performed Wednesday in waters off Taiwan's east coast focused on keeping sea lanes open for vital supplies including energy imports — a key determinant of how long Taiwan could withstand a Chinese attack. The army also landed an Apache attack helicopter at coast guard headquarters this week, illustrating increased integration.

"China's maritime forces are steadily improving their ability to conduct increasingly complex operations," said Tristan Tang, a Taipei-based nonresident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research. "Taipei therefore cannot afford to respond only after a specific contingency occurs."

Civilian resilience and political friction

Beyond the coast guard drills, the Han Kuang exercise — running Aug. 5-14 — tests how troops, reservists and civilians would respond to a potential Chinese attack. Mobile internet speeds were reduced to 256 Kbps for 30 minutes during air raid drills in Taipei and six other cities, simulating communications disruption. Taiwan also deployed navy and coast guard vessels to escort supplies during a simulated Chinese blockade in waters east of the island.

The exercise comes as Taiwan's government and opposition parties clash over defense funding. In May, the Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party approved a $25 billion special defense budget, cutting by one-third the amount requested by Lai's Democratic Progressive Party. The opposition removed about $15 billion sought for domestic drone purchases and other defense measures.

"Training can always be better," Defense Minister Wellington Koo said Wednesday. "We will therefore continue to train diligently and intensively, so that we are fully prepared in peacetime and able to carry out our missions in wartime."

The last time Taiwan faced comparable maritime pressure was during China's August 2022 exercises around the island following then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit, when Beijing deployed more than 100 warplanes and warships in a week. Taiwan's defense budget has since risen steadily, and the island now operates more than 30 coast guard cutters capable of carrying antiship missiles.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.