Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has watched live-fire drills with new U.S.-made Abrams M1A2T tanks during annual defense exercises.

Taiwan conducted live-fire exercises with U.S.-made tanks as President Lai Ching-te watched, amid tensions with China over the island's sovereignty.

Amped-up drills and new U.S. tanks have added bite to President Lai Ching-te’s Taiwan-is-a-country lecture tour.

Taiwan included its first batch of 38 U.S.-purchased M1A2T Abrams tanks in a live-fire exercise at Hsinchu military base on Thursday, as it launched its annual military exercises intended to guard against Chinese threats.

Taiwan launched its largest ever military drills on Wednesday, starting with simulated attacks on its command systems and infrastructure ahead of a Chinese invasion, senior defence officials said.

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.

Theme Poster "Overwhelming Grip" Released by PLA Eastern Theater Command Hyped as the longest-ever, the island of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang drills kicked off on Wednesday, local media reported. While seemingly aimed at improving defense for the Taiwan authorities,

Taiwan's army on Thursday displayed the fire power of its first U.S.-sourced M1A2T Abrams tanks - a traditional weapon that analysts say will need to be increasingly protected against drones in any future battle given lessons from the Ukraine war.