Taiwanese troops staged live-fire exercises on Tuesday simulating a response to an invasion, AFP said. The military sent reconnaissance aircraft to observe simulated incoming ships and tanks fired rounds as the “enemy” landed at the eastern port of Hualien. Attack helicopters fired flares and F-16 fighter jets launched simulated assaults, backing up the ground forces. The ministry did not specify that the annual drill simulated an invasion by China, but said it was intended to “show determination to safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait and national security.”