Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te watched live-fire drills with United States-made Abrams M1A2T tanks on Thursday as part of major annual exercises aimed at boosting the island’s ability to fend off threats from China.

Taiwanese military tests new M1A2T tanks during annual Han Kuang Exercise in show of force aimed at boosting morale, combat readiness.

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.

China views the democratically governed island as its own and has intensified military pressure around Taiwan over the last five years. Lai's comments also come ahead of a recall parliamentary election on July 26 that could see his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) take back control of the legislature.

China claims Taiwan as its own despite Taipei's objections. The United States does not recognize Taiwan's statehood but has political and economic stakes in a peaceful resolution to the decades-long dispute, and is obliged by U.S. law to help Taipei arm itself against a possible attack.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Deputy Minister of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said Wednesday that an urban resilience exercise will be carried out from July 15-18.

Expanded Han Kuang Exercise is simulating a prolonged PLA attack with a ‘scenario-driven, no spoiler’ approach, officials say.