India, Aug. 13 -- Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration has equipped its patrol vessels with anti-ship missiles as part of this year's Han Kuang military exercises, a step officials say is designed to test how quickly civilian maritime assets can be converted into wartime combat platforms in the event of a Chinese attack.

President Lai Ching-te personally observed the installation of missile launchers aboard an Anping-class coast guard vessel on Thursday, before boarding a Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat armed with Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missiles at Zuoying Naval Base in Kaohsiung on Saturday, according to Focus Taiwan.

The Han Kuang exercises began on 8 August and are set to conclude on 14 August, focusing on Taiwan's readiness for a p...