An incoming typhoon has caused the cancellation of one of part of Taiwan's largest annual military exercises as there are concerns strong winds may affect fighter jets.
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00:00Taiwan's military has been practicing how to reposition some of its aircraft to bases
00:04around the country, but drills scheduled for today have been cancelled due to an incoming
00:09typhoon.
00:11This week, the country's holding its largest military drills, the Hanguang exercise, which
00:15aimed to test Taiwan's ability to defend against a Chinese invasion.
00:20For the past few days, fighter jets, cargo planes and other military aircraft have been
00:24flying all around Taiwan, simulating a wartime scenario.
00:29They'll be flying to airbases in the east, such as Jiashan Air Base in Hualien, farther
00:33away from a potential front line.
00:37Taiwan is no stranger to typhoons and strong rain, especially during the summer, and military
00:41officials say drills scheduled for later this week will be affected.
00:45The drills were supposed to rehearse how to protect Taiwan's military resources, as
01:02the country's military is much smaller than China's.
01:05That's why a big portion of this year's Hanguang exercise focuses on how to defend critical
01:10infrastructure like airbases and ports.
01:14Officials here say that the typhoon just goes to show that even with the most preparation,
01:18things don't always go to plan, but the military plans to use the storm to practice how to
01:23react to unexpected situations.
01:25Ryan Wu in Hamiokon in Hualien County for Taiwan Plus.