Taichung, Taiwan - Taiwan on Monday launched a five-day military exercise aimed at enhancing battlefield familiarity and improving the armed forces' ability to rapidly shift from peacetime to wartime operations, amid ongoing tensions with China.

According to Taiwan's state-run Central News Agency, combat units began deploying early Monday morning to designated defensive positions across the island in preparation for a potential enemy invasion.

In northern Taoyuan, armored vehicles and military communications units were observed moving along highways during the morning rush hour. 

The Ministry of National Defense said in a Sunday statement that the exercise is part of its annual training schedule, emphasizing realistic scenarios designed to strengthen command and control, coordination, logistics, operational readiness, and overall defensive capability.

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The maneuver follows a large-scale live-fire drill conducted on June 10, in which the Taiwanese army fired rockets and anti-tank missiles along the western coastline facing China in central Taiwan's Taichung. 

Tensions in the region stem from Beijing viewing Taiwan as part of Chinese territory and wanting to annex the island – by force of invasion if necessary.

Chinese fighter jets and naval vessels are seen operating around Taiwan on an almost daily basis. 

On Monday morning, Taiwan's defense ministry said it had recorded 23 Chinese military aircraft in the vicinity of the island over the previous 24 hours. It also noted the presence of seven Chinese naval ships and five official government vessels operating nearby. 

These operations are widely regarded as part of China’s efforts to pressure Taiwan while stopping short of open conflict, and are therefore described as "gray zone" activities.