Taiwan’s armed forces are prepared to respond immediately to a surprise military assault by China, with frontline units authorised to act independently if communications with senior command are disrupted, according to a defence ministry assessment submitted to lawmakers.

According to Reuters, the report reflects growing concern in Taipei that Beijing could rapidly convert routine military manoeuvres into live combat operations, aiming to exploit speed and uncertainty. China, which claims the self-governing island as its territory, has markedly increased the tempo and scale of air and naval activity around Taiwan in recent years, heightening pressure on the island’s defences.

Taiwan’s defence ministry describes these near-daily operations as part of a sustained grey-zone strategy intended to wear down Taiwan’s military readiness without triggering open conflict, Reuters reports. It points to a steady expansion in the scope of China’s joint combat readiness patrols, which now regularly involve multiple branches of the People’s Liberation Army operating together.

To counter this risk, Taipei says it has established clear mechanisms to raise combat alert levels if Chinese exercises show signs of shifting from training to active hostilities. In such circumstances, units would immediately switch to a decentralised command structure, allowing commanders on the ground to execute assigned missions without awaiting further instruction.

According to the news agency, the ministry also warns that China is rehearsing scenarios for an attack on Taiwan while simultaneously extending its naval reach further into the Pacific, including towards waters near Australia and New Zealand. These activities are seen as part of a broader effort to normalise large-scale, multi-service operations that increasingly resemble real combat conditions rather than symbolic drills.

Defence minister of Taiwan, Wellington Koo is scheduled to face questioning in parliament on the findings later this week. Beijing, meanwhile, has rejected the assessment, accusing President Lai Ching-te’s administration of overstating the threat and fuelling unnecessary anxiety, while reiterating its opposition to any moves towards formal independence.