Taiwan Conducts Missile-firing Drill

TAIPEI, Aug 20 (Bernama-dpa) -- Taiwan conducted a missile-firing drill on Tuesday, reported German news agency (dpa), citing state-run Central News Agency (CNA). 

The annual major military exercise, dubbed the Air and Sea Precision Missile-Firing Drill, was conducted early Tuesday at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung County in southern Taiwan, the CNA said.

It is intended to demonstrate Taiwan's ability to defend its maritime territory, the CNA reported.

During the exercise, two US-made surface-to-air Patriot II missiles and a Taiwan-made surface-to-air anti-ballistic Sky Bow III missile were launched. All accurately hit the target drones, the CNA said.

This was the first precision missile-firing drill since President Lai Ching-te took office in May, the CNA reported.

On Tuesday, Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo also visited the site to supervise the exercise.

At the base, Colonel Kao Shu-li said that the exercise simulated a comprehensive air-defence combat scenario, using Patriot II and Sky Bow III missiles to intercept target drones. She added that the exercise aimed to verify the effectiveness of troop training and the command and control capabilities of joint air defence operations, the CNA reported.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, in the eastern offshore waters, the Taiwan Navy also dispatched a frigate, which successfully launched an anti-aircraft missile from the sea and accurately hit the target drone, the CNA reported.

-- BERNAMA-dpa