Taiwan's annual military exercise, Han Kuang, begins on Wednesday as the island ramps up its defence against a possible invasion from China. Billed as the largest and longest one so far, this year's Han Kuang will last for about 10 days, about twice the duration of last year's drill.

The early stages of the annual Han Kuang exercises would also focus on testing how Taiwan’s military can decentralize command in the event of a crippling communications attack.

This year’s live-fire drills will last until July 18 in response to escalating Chinese threats. The exercise will be conducted without a scripted scenario and in a continuous, uninterrupted format, making it the longest Han Kuang drill in history, CNA reported.