Taiwan confirms presence of US special forces — RT World News
The Taiwanese Defense Minister confirmed that US forces are training the island's army, some of which are stationed six miles from mainland China.
The island's defense chief, Chiu Kuo-cheng, confirmed to the press on Thursday that US special forces personnel are stationed on some of Taiwan's remote islands to train its armed forces.
The official was asked to confirm media reports of a permanent US military presence in Taiwan on the sidelines of a legislative hearing, news site Focus Taiwan wrote on Thursday. Chiu stressed that US service members are training Taiwanese forces, helping them identify weaknesses and blind spots.
Last week, US Spec Ops news site Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP) wrote that America “Green Berets” They were to be deployed to Taiwan to serve as permanent training observers and prepare special units for the island. This represents a departure from previous practice that saw frequent but infrequent visits by US personnel to Taiwanese training facilities, the report said. According to the article, permanent US forces will be stationed in the Kinmen Islands, six miles from mainland China.
Beijing considers the autonomous island part of sovereign Chinese territory, and has repeatedly warned it against formally declaring independence. Although Taiwan has governed itself since 1949, most of the international community, including the United States, does not officially recognize it as a sovereign state.
Although the United States does not officially support Taiwan independence, it maintains security relations with the island. Under the Taiwan Enhanced Flexibility Act of 2022, “Deterring the aggression of the People's Republic of China against Taiwan” The United States is allowed to spend up to $2 billion annually in military grants to support the island's security until 2027.
Mainland China criticized the increased rotation of US military personnel on the island. The United States always gives priority to its own interests, and Taiwan is just a country “pawn” Beijing is using it against mainland China, Beijing spokesman Chen Binhua said on Wednesday. He claimed it from ““Taiwan’s political leadership is closely aligned with the United States to implement so-called military training programs.” “Pushing the people of Taiwan into crisis.”
“Any attempt to seek 'independence' through military means or rely on external forces for 'independence' will only lead to danger and will ultimately lead to Taiwan's self-destruction.” to caution.
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